EVERETT – Police found a pipe bomb at the home of a man who allegedly beat a woman with a tire iron and left her at a highway rest stop.
Paul A. McVay, 32, was arrested Thursday by the Washington State Patrol on suspicion of assault, unlawful possession of an explosive device and unlawful placement of explosives.
Investigators suspect he picked up a woman Jan. 7 and beat her at the Smokey Point rest area, court documents say. He then allegedly drove off as she clung to the car, and attempted to rub her off on a post as he drove from the rest area.
A tip led detectives to McVay, who was interviewed Jan. 19 at the Snohomish County Jail, where he was being held on an unrelated charge.
He denied assaulting the woman but gave a detective his address. When the detective went there, he learned of a pipe bomb McVay had allegedly made. State Patrol bomb experts removed the 8-inch pipe bomb from the home.
McVay is being held on $250,000 bail.
Fire officials continue digging through debris
An unstable building and biological hazards are keeping fire investigators from determining the cause of a blaze that destroyed the downtown Grifols Biomat USA Plasma Center on Sunday.
Heavy equipment continued to remove charred debris from the building on Friday. But more of the mess and biohazards such as needles still need to be cleaned up, Everett Fire Marshal Warren Burns said.
Investigators hope to learn the cause of the fire next week, he said.
The fire destroyed the building in the 2800 block of Hoyt Avenue, causing more than $2 million in damage. Firefighters suspect the blaze began in the basement, Burns said.
The 1909 building is owned by Bill Rucker, who also owns H&L Sports a block away.
Donations solicited for Everett fire victim
Donations are being collected by the Salvation Army for Fred Ray, who was burned in a fire at his Everett home.
Ray, 73, a longtime Salvation Army volunteer, suffered second-degree burns as he tried to put out the blaze Jan. 21. He’s still recovering at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The fire in the 3100 block of Tulalip Avenue caused $125,000 damage to Ray’s house, firefighters said.
Contributions may be sent to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1184, Everett, WA 98026.
Seattle: Edmonds bank robber sentenced
An Edmonds woman who brought along her 9-year-old daughter during a bank robbery was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday in U.S. District Court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported Friday.
Mary Ann Brown, 35, was arrested at a Tukwila hotel March 3 after federal agents released surveillance video from banks to the news media. Several people came forward to identify her.
Dubbed the “Bag Lady Bandit,” Brown pleaded guilty to four counts of robbing banks in Seattle. On Feb. 17, a surveillance video at a Key Bank branch captured an image of her then 9-year-old daughter in the bank moments before the heist.
Mill Creek: Teenager’s insulin pump returned
An insulin pump used by 14-year-old Dane Paschal was returned Friday, ending his family’s search for the expensive piece of equipment.
The Jackson High School freshman was riding a school bus to swim practice when he left the $5,000 pump behind Wednesday, said his mother, Darcie Paschal. When he went to retrieve it, the pump was gone.
The pump was anonymously returned to the bus on Friday, Paschal said.
The pump is used to provide a constant flow of insulin to Dane, who has Type 1 diabetes, his mother said. Without it, he is forced to inject himself with insulin four to six times a day.
“I’m just so glad it’s back,” Paschal said.
Monroe: Sex offender meeting is Thursday
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office plans a community meeting Thursday to provide information about a Level 3 sex offender living in the 18000 block of Trombley Road.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Monroe Junior High School, 1408 W. Main St., in Monroe.
Travis Reiner, 33, served eight years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree rape, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a short-barreled shotgun.
He is white, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 205 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.
From Herald staff reports
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