CLEARVIEW – At least one person was seriously injured Friday night when a vehicle struck a tree on Highway 9, the Washington State Patrol reported.

The accident occurred about 8:44 p.m. near Clearview, and the roadway was blocked, but no other details were available.

Lynnwood: Trucker pleads guilty in crash

A former tanker-truck driver whose crash on I-5 in Lynnwood in 2003 caused more than $1 million in damage pleaded guilty Friday to reckless driving.

Gary Brammer entered an Alford plea, in which he didn’t admit guilt but acknowledged that the government has enough evidence to convict him.

A judge in Snohomish County South District Court in Lynnwood sentenced Brammer to a year in jail. All but 30 days were suspended, which Brammer had previously served.

“I would just like to apologize to the people of Snohomish County,” he said.

Police suspect Brammer fell asleep at the wheel of his northbound truck July 12, 2003, and struck the railing on the 44th Avenue W. bridge in Lynnwood.

The truck overturned and 11,300 gallons of gasoline ignited and snarled freeway traffic for about 18 hours.

According to the state Department of Transportation, the heat from the fire damaged the bridge deck and railing and cost more than $1 million to repair.

Brammer was fired by his employer when company officials learned he had not reported an earlier accident involving his own vehicle.

Granite Falls: Police seek assault suspect

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a man suspected of sexually assaulting a teenage girl Nov. 26.

The girl, 15, told Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies she met the man at a Granite Falls McDonald’s.

The man offered her a ride home, but instead of taking her there she said he drove down a country road and sexually assaulted her.

She described him as white, age 19-20, with dark eyes, dark hair gelled into spikes, 5 feet 11 inches, 180 pounds with a medium build. He wore a small silver hoop earring at the top of his left ear.

She said he was driving a 1990s gray or silver four-door car with tinted back windows.

Anyone with information can contact the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 425-388-3845.

Mountlake Terrace: Pets killed in house fire

A neighbor broke a window to get inside a burning Mountlake Terrace home Friday afternoon to see if anyone was inside.

Smoke forced the neighbor to turn back, but firefighters confirmed the family that lived there wasn’t home, Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said. The fire was reported about 3:15 p.m.

The blaze caused an estimated $200,000 damage to a home in the 4000 block of 231st Place SW, she said. The family’s cat died in the fire and firefighters believe a dog also perished. A second cat survived and was taken to a nearby vet for treatment.

Lynnwood: Officer finds vandal suspects

A Lynnwood sergeant helped lead Seattle police to a group of vandals suspected of shooting paintballs in north Seattle on Monday.

Detective Sgt. Jerry Riener just finished a run around Green Lake when he saw the barrel of a gun aimed at him through a car window.

Riener ducked and the shot missed him. He followed the car and took down a license plate number. The car fled the area, running stop signs and red lights.

Police have identified five suspects. Up to three more might have been involved in the incident Monday, Riener said.