Bulletin column - Dec. 2, 2010

Vancouver driver hits grader

Drivers in an accident involving a Honda Accord and a county snowplow grader were unhurt Monday morning in a collision on Highway 26 at the Fleming Road intersection near LaCrosse. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Milton H. Rice, 57, Vancouver, was driving a 1997 Honda Accord westbound on Highway 26 behind a 1997 grader operated by Fredrick Baker, 48, LaCrosse. Baker was attempting to turn left off the highway onto Fleming Road when Rice attempted a pass. The Accord hit the right front corner of the grader blade.

Double fatality nets sentence

A warrant of commitment to the state Department of Corrections was filed Monday in superior court for the 26-month sentence of Victor J. Marly, Milton-Freewater resident who was convicted of two counts of vehicular homicide by a superior court jury here Oct. 21. Marly will be credited with 39 days already served in the jail here since he was taken in to custody after the jury returned its verdict. He was sentenced to 26 months in prison Nov. 19

Marly was convicted of causing the deaths of a Lewiston couple, Ronald West, 64, and Frances West, 72, when the Chevrolet Trailblazer he was driving collided with a Toyota sedan being driven by Mr. West on Highway 127 Sept. 19, 2009. The jury found Marley was negligent for attempting a pass on a curve near the Big Alkali road intersection south of Dusty.

Marly faced a sentencing range of 26 to 34 months on each of the convictions, and the state recommended a sentence of 30 months.

He was sentenced to 26 months on each conviction but will be allowed to serve the sentences concurrently. The jury did not reach a unanimous verdict that Marly was driving in a reckless manner when he attempted the pass.

Escapee undergoes hearing

Ronald A. Rutledge, 29, the county inmate who left a work party and headed for Dayton last Saturday, Nov. 20, reportedly told jailers he escaped because he wanted to see his daughters. Rutledge, who had 18 days left to serve on his sentence for burglarizing a storage unit in Rosalia, was arrested Nov. 21 after he turned himself in. He had traveled to Dayton and then to Spokane where he was taken into custody.

Rutledge also admitted taking a knife from the jail kitchen. He denied blocking out a security camera before his departure and said he was simply moving crates to sweep and mop the kitchen.

Rutledge lost all good time credit and community service hours at the conclusion of the infraction hearing.

Hunter wounded in leg

A hunter from Oak Harbor wounded himself in the leg Friday morning while hunting along the Tekoa-Farmington Road. Deputy Randy Zehm said the hunter, Jeff Journey, 25, is a Navy Corpsman, and he advised the other three hunters in his group on first aid. A tourniquet was applied to the leg.

They took him to the Tekoa Market where he was picked up by the Tekoa ambulance and taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.

Journey shot himself in the left leg, just above the knee. Deputy Randy Zehm said the four hunters were hunting birds on the Farmington Road just outside of Tekoa. They spotted birds and stopped. Journey accidentally shot himself in the leg while getting out of the vehicle with a 20- gauge shotgun.

Zehm said he contacted Journey’s father, who was a member of the hunting party, at the hospital and learned the wound did not involve serious injury to the leg.

Turkey drive totals 470

A total of 470 turkey dinners were donated through the Tom’s Turkey Drive program at Rosauers last Friday and Saturday. The distribution list includes 106 dinners to Colfax, 50 to Garfield, 50 to St. John, 40 to Malden, 40 to Rosalia, 25 to Uniontown, 17 to Oakesdale, 17 to Endicott and 10 to LaCrosse, according to Scott Hallett at the Council on Aging. Some of dinners have been distributed for Thanksgiving and others will be distributed for Christmas.

The turkey dinners were donated by shoppers who purchased $15 dinner bags at Rosauers which joined with KREM 2, the Council on Aging, FISH and Second Harvest Northwest in the project. The drive was initiated by KREM 2 weatherman Tom Sherry. Hallett said dozens of church and student volunteers should also be credited for assisting with the drive.

Keep hydrants clear

Colfax Fire Chief Ralph Walter asks residents to check out their neighborhood fire hydrant and make sure it is clear of snow. Hydrants in these conditions can vanish under snow piles.

‘Music Man’ final show today

Final performance of “The Music Man” has been slated today, Thursday, beginning at 12:30 a.m. The performance will make up for the Tuesday performance which was canceled when school was closed that day because of the weather. Tuesday performances are normally booked for JES students. Senior citizens and others are welcome.

Toy drive underway

Donations of new toys and funds to purchase new toys are now being accepted by the Colfax fire department for the annual Firemen’s Toybox drive. The toys are given to needy youngsters in all areas of Whitman County outside of Pullman. Donation checks can be made out to Volunteer Firemen and sent to Box 226, Colfax.