Northwest briefly: 2 state-based soldiers killed in Iraq

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, — The Army has identified two state-based soldiers killed in Iraq by a suicide attacker in an explosives-rigged car.

Killed were Sgt. Israel P. O’Bryan, 24, of Newbern, Tenn., and Spc. William C. Yauch, 23, of Batesville, Ark. They were assigned to the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Officials say the two Americans and at least three Iraqis died Friday when the bomber struck a convoy of Humvees and Stryker vehicles in the town of Jalula, about 80 miles northeast of Baghdad. O’Bryan enlisted in February 2006. This was his second deployment with the brigade. Yauch enlisted in August 2007. This was his first deployment.

Seattle: Mayor plans $12 million in spending cuts

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn announced plans Monday to cut spending by $12 million to help balance the city budget.

The cuts hit nearly all departments except the fire department, because of a safety review after the weekend apartment fire that killed five people.

The plan presented to the city council budget committee said more cuts will likely be necessary because of a project 2011 general fund shortfall of $56 million.

The spending cuts include shrinking travel and training, leaving vacant 21 positions for police officers in the neighborhood police program, reducing maintenance at parks and partially closing wading pools.

Charges filed in car crash

The King County prosecutor’s office has filed two vehicular homicide charges against an SUV driver involved in an Interstate 5 collision that killed two high school seniors.

Charging documents filed Monday say Alexander E. Peder’s blood alcohol level was .16 percent shortly after the Wednesday night crash. The intoxication threshold under Washington law is .08 percent. Court papers say a half-empty vodka bottle was found in the Kirkland man’s vehicle, along a receipt showing it was purchased six hours earlier.

Washington state troopers say a car driven by 19-year-old Anthony Beaver stalled in a southbound lane of I-5 in the Tukwila area. Although the stalled car’s emergency lights were on, troopers say the SUV struck it from behind.

Two teens — Derek King and Nicholas Hodgins — died from their injuries. Beaver was treated at a hospital and released.

Attorneys general in town for association meeting

Attorneys general from about 25 states are gathering in Seattle this week. The three-day meeting by the National Association of Attorneys General will elect officers and consider such issues as consumer protection, technology scams and preventing child sexual exploitation. Gov. Chris Gregoire and state Attorney General Rob McKenna are scheduled to speak today.

Hyak: Blasting to delay Snoqualmie Pass traffic

Drivers who have been delayed by construction on I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass can expect more of the same.

The Transportation Department will stop traffic in both directions for about an hour at 8 p.m. Monday for a test rock blast near the snow shed.

Work crews plan such closures on Mondays and Thursday until October as they remove 1 million tons of rock.

It’s part of the $571 million project to widen the interstate and improve safety in the Hyak-Keechelus Dam stretch and help keep it open through winter snows.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported the snow shed on westbound lanes will be extended to eastbound lanes and lengthened to 1,100 feet.

Longview: Man dies during apartment fight

The Cowlitz County sheriff’s office is investigating the death of a man who died during a fight at a Longview apartment complex.

When an city police officer arrived late Saturday the officer found several people from the complex on top of the man restraining him outside his apartment. The officer was told he has been assaulting the assistant manager and other residents.

The officer found the restrained man was not breathing. Attempts to revive him failed and he was declared dead at a hospital.

The assistant manager was treated at a hospital for injuries to his face.

Aberdeen: Tsunami warning glitch traced

The Washington State Emergency Management Department said it has found the cause of the errant warning broadcast June 7 during a monthly test of coastal sirens.

Deputy Emergency Manager Chuck Wallace told KXRO the button used to initiate the test was incorrectly programmed and sounded the alert siren instead of the Westminster chimes test.

Wallace said the error has been fixed. The next regular test of the coastal array will be on July 5.

The 50 sirens in Pacific, Grays Harbor, Jefferson and Clallam counties are placed to warn of tsunamis.

Hoquiam: Civil War emblem stolen from grave

Police are looking for a star taken from the grave of a Civil War veteran in Hoquiam.

Police told KXRO the cast iron emblem has the letters GAR —standing for Grand Army of the Republic.

It was noticed missing Friday from the grave of Civil War veteran George Crippon who died in 1905.

Olympia: Gregoire passes wildfire line test

Gov. Chris Gregoire and other Washington officials were out on a hiking trail near Olympia Monday morning taking the “work capacity test” required of managers and staging workers at fire lines.

Gregoire passed the test, briskly walking a mile in less than 16 minutes and deploying a fire shelter in less than 25 seconds. Also passing the test were state Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark and Washington Army National Guard Commander Bret Daugherty and the governor’s husband Mike.

Firefighters have more stringent requirements.

Despite recent rainfall, officials expect above-average wildfire conditions this summer in Washington, especially in the north and east areas of the state.

Spokane: Woman fights off purse snatcher

A woman refused to give up her purse to a purse-snatcher Sunday night outside a store in Spokane, and police arrested a suspect.

Police say the woman was walking to her car about 7:30 p.m. when a man tried to pull her purse away. Officer Ben Green said “She put up quite a fight.”

The Spokesman-Review reported witnesses called 911. Police arrested a 26-year-old man who tried to run away.

Teens plead not guilty for racing crash

Two teens accused of a street racing crash that killed an Eastern Washington University student pleaded not guilty in Spokane Monday to vehicular homicide charges.

The two 18-year-olds, Brooke A. Reese and Taylor D. Marean, both appeared in Spokane County Superior Court.

Prosecutors said Reese had been drinking at a Valentine’s Day party Feb. 14 before racing cars with Marean on Spokane’s South Hill. Their cars collided, killing 19-year-old EWU student Jacoby Bryant, who was a passenger in Reese’s car.

Yakima: 81-year-old man with dementia missing

Searchers have been unable to find an 81-year-old Yakima man with dementia who went missing June 5 west of White Swan.

Two days later Yakama Nation tribal police found the truck belonging to William Addington on the reservation with the keys inside and half a tank of gas.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported more than 70 people searched the area again Saturday without turning up any clues.

Colorado: Lawyer withdraws from abortion clinic threat case of Spokane man

A lawyer for a man who has twice backed out on proposed plea deals over a threat to a Colorado abortion clinic is asking to withdraw from the case.

Weeks after Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller was slain last year, Donald Hertz of Spokane was accused of calling Dr. Warren Hern’s clinic in Boulder, Colo., and threatening to kill members of Hern’s family.

Hertz’s lawyer Dustin Deissner says in documents filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Denver that Hertz has “cognitive limitations,” and he doesn’t know if Hertz still intends to plead guilty. Deissner says he’s not experienced in criminal trial practice if Hertz goes to trial and that Hertz can’t afford to pay Deissner as the case drags on.

From Herald news services