Bulletin column - Jan. 6, 2011

Police check gunshots report

Colfax police received a report of gunshots being fired in the Valleyview area from residents atop Thorn Street Hill at 9:30 p.m. Monday. One resident reported six shots were discharged, and another resident reported eight shots had been fired. Officer Perry Tate and Deputy Paul Reavis responded to the scene to interview the reporting parties. They walked around the area but were unable to determine the source of the shots.

Cattle cash fund released

An order releasing a $120,000 cash deposit made by the Bank of Whitman in its efforts to collect on funds alleged due on a promissory note was filed Monday in Whitman County Superior Court. The sum had been posted by the bank to indemnify the Franklin County Sheriff on a request that he seize livestock in Pasco. The cattle were reportedly owned by E. Patrick Lawler who allegedly failed to pay the loan back under terms of the promissory note.

The cash deposit, which was made in lieu of bond, was later disqualified on a motion from the Franklin County prosecutor who contended they were never notified when the court initially approved substitution of the cash deposit in place of the required indemnity bond.

City eyes 2.5 percent pay hike

Colfax employees outside the police department could be in line for a 2.5 percent cost of living pay hike. Following up on a request from the last meeting, City Treasurer Mark Clinton said the city could realize as much as $1,574 in savings per month because a new employee in the public works department, yet to be hired, will likely start at or near the bottom of the pay grade.

Clinton said a 2.5 percent blanket pay hike would add $1,552 to monthly payroll expenses.

Council members Monday night delayed any move on the pay hike because the city is negotiating with the newly formed police guild in a pay contract which could involve a four percent pay hike retroactive to the start of the year.

City Attorney Bruce Ensley noted the city cannot approve retroactive pay hikes to employees without a contract agreement. That will probably mean any pay increase for employees outside the police guild will get a pay increase at the start of February.

Fire destroys single wide

A 12-foot-wide mobile home on Boone Hill Road off the Pullman-Wawawai Road was destroyed by fire early Monday morning. The occupant of the home, a 41-year-old woman, was taken by ambulance to Pullman Regional Hospital for a checkup and later released.

Rural District 12 Chief Lester Erwin said the woman suffered from possible exposure to the cold after she escaped from the burning mobile home. She took refuge in a truck cab.

The fire is believed to have started from one of the electrical heaters which were being used to thaw frozen pipes in the kitchen area of the trailer. Fire crews received the alarm at 12:49 Monday morning.

Five trucks and an ambulance from the Pullman Rural District and two trucks from District 14 responded.

Duo hurt in snowmobile crash

Whitman County deputies last Friday responded to a report of a snowmobile accident on Niehenke Road about three miles north of Colton. One man was reported to be unconscious and convulsing after the snowmobile struck a flatbed truck.

The man, Robert Friddle, 21, Colton, regained consciousness a short time later. His wife, Chelsea, a passenger on the snowmobile, complained of hip and elbow pain. Both were take by the Lewiston Ambulance to St. Joseph Medical Center and later released after being examined by Emergency Room doctors.

According to a report from Deputy Sgt. Chris Chapman, Robert Friddle was distracted when the throttle on the snowmobile became stuck. While he was working with the throttle the left front ski of the snowmobile struck a 4 X 4 post and the machine rotated 180 degrees into the rear of the parked flatbed truck.

Emergency room door damaged

Colfax police responded to a report of damage to a door at the emergency room at Whitman Hospital at 7:42 Sunday night. Assistant Chief David Szambelan reported glass in the door was broken by a 40-year-old man who was trying to summon emergency treatment for his mother. She was reported to have had a diabetic reaction. The man was pounding on the door in an attempt to gain entry and the glass broke.

Chief Bill Hickman noted an exterior buzzer is located next to the door to summon emergency room staffers.

Fire delays report

A petition for extension of time to submit an annual guardian’s report for a Colfax resident was filed in superior court by Diane Miller of the DreamWorks office in Colfax. The petition noted records are not easily accessible after the DreamWorks office was damaged when fire Nov. 29 destroyed the adjoining Mitz’s Cabinets building at 610 N. Main.

The DreamWorks office has been relocated to the former Port of Whitman building at W. 105 Island.

Waives extradition to Coeur d’Alene

Tobias Sheldon Anderson, 34, Colville, who was booked into the county jail Dec. 24 at 4 p.m. waived extradition rights to Kootenai County in a hearing Dec. 27 in superior court. Anderson was wanted for an alleged probation violation on a warrant issued by the District Court Judge at Coeur d’Alene.

Prisoners disciplined

Three prisoners in the jail underwent discipline hearings for exchanging notes Dec. 27 while on work release, according to reports filed in superior court Dec. 29. Discipline hearings were conducted Tuesday.

LaDonna Sue Parham lost work release privileges for 30 days. Temporary loss of visiting privileges and possible loss of good time credits were ordered for Robert Creach and Richard Pasma.

Parham and Creach were sentenced on theft charges related to a North Campus Heights apartment case in Pullman. Parham, a former on-site manager of the Pullman apartments, was sentenced to four months and Creach was sentenced to six months.

Pasma, who is serving a nine month sentence, told jailers he wasn’t aware of the rule against passing notes which is included in the jail rule book. Sentenced for not reporting the accident which left his ex-girlfriend, Kristen Grindley, seriously injured on the Albion Road, Pasma has been working as a cook at the jail.

Awnings arrive for election office

A two-man crew from C & S Glass of Post Falls was on the scene last Friday morning in 10-degree temperatures to install metal awnings on the newly remodeled county office building, the former Harrison building. The metal awnings are fabricated out of aluminum and painted dark green. They were bolted to brackets built into the window frames of the building.

Accident takes Rosalian’s life

A collision on Highway 195 south of Spangle took the life of Rebecca Coon, 32, Rosalia last Wednesday, Dec. 29. She died at Sacred Heart Medical Center.

She was driving a 2003 Kia Sedona which collided with a 2008 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Ryan D. Nauer, 33, Orting. A passenger in the pickup, Jason A. Olson, 34, Spokane, was taken by ambulance to Sacred Heart.

Nauer was not injured.

According to the Washington State Patrol report, the accident was four miles south of Spangle on 195 at the Davis Road intersection. Coon was driving the Kia southbound, and Nauer was driving northbound. The collision was in the northbound lane.

Storm locks up highways

Blizzard conditions last Wednesday, Dec. 29, locked up portions of the state highway grid with state routes to the Lewiston/Clarkston area cut off later in the afternoon. Highway 195 between Pullman and Colton was shut down because of snow and drifting. Motorists opted for Highway 95 from Moscow south, but that route was also shut down in the middle of the afternoon.

Highway 195 was reopened about 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Highway 27 was also closed. Initially, the highway was closed between Garfield and Palouse around 11 a.m. Stuck vehicles later lead to a shutdown all the way south to Pullman.

The route was opened again after the storm and winds subsided at about 4 p.m.

Also closed during the storm was Highway 23 from Steptoe to Sprague. It was also opened after the storm subsided.

The Washington State Patrol report log for Wednesday listed three accidents with damage over the reportable level and five in the non-reportable level.

Storm accident reports

Two Garfield residents, Anna McDermott, 28, and William Divine, 58, were unhurt when the vehicles they were driving collided on Highway 27 about four miles north of Palouse Wednesday Dec. 29.

According to the Washington State Patrol report, McDermott was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo southbound at 10 a.m. and lost control in blowing snow. The Aveo slid across the centerline and collided with a 1989 Nissan pickup truck which Divine was driving northbound.

Jennifer Bowman, 41, Colfax, was unhurt early Dec. 29 when she lost control of a 2006 Ford pickup truck on Highway 26 seven miles west of Colfax. She was driving westbound at 5:45 a.m. and lost control of the truck on compact snow and ice. The truck crossed the roadway, went into the ditch on the opposite side and then came back on the eastbound shoulder.

A Colfax ambulance crew was dispatched to the scene but did not transport the driver.

Hayden Maxwell, 19, Moscow, was unhurt Monday when he lost control of a 1995 Toyota Camry on Highway 26 about five and one-half miles west of Colfax. He was driving westbound at 2:10 p.m. when the Toyota crossed the centerline and went into the ditch on the eastbound side. The Camry went over a field access road and struck a road sign.