The FBI is asking for the public's help catching the bank robber picture above. The photo was taken a 9:15 a.m. today at Washington Federal Savings in Seattle. He's also suspected in other robberies, including in Tacoma and Puyallup.

The above suspect is now believed to be responsible for at least four bank robberies and one pharmacy robbery in the Puget Sound region. His demand notes state that he is armed with an explosive device. He is described as a white male, 20 to 30 years of age, 5’10”, and 180 lbs. He wears prescription glasses and has short brown hair.

The robberies are:
Sept. 12, 5:30 p.m., Sound Community bank, 2001 5th Ave, Seattle
Sept. 18, 5:30 p.m., US Bank, South Meridian Ave., Puyallup
Sept. 24, 12:25 p.m., Heritage Bank, 1119 Pacific Ave, Tacoma
Sept. 28, unknown time, Bartell's Pharmacy, downtown Seattle
Sept. 30, 9:15 a.m., Washington Federal bank, 725 3rd Ave, Seattle

24-Hour contact info: FBI (206)622-0460

Puyallup police are searching for a man who robbed a bank on Monday morning.

The man entered the 1st Security Bank of Washington, 307 W. Stewart St., about 11:35 a.m. He walked to the counter and showed the teller a note that demanded cash. The note also indicated the man had a weapon, police reported.

The robber got an undisclosed amount of money and left the bank on foot.

He's described as white, 45 to 50 years old and 5 feet 10 with a heavy build and large belly. He had graying hair and a mustache.

The man wore sunglasses, a dark baseball hat, purple button-up collared shirt and cargo shorts during the robbery.

Police and Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers released bank surveillance photos of the robber on Tuesday in hopes of identifying him.

Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrests and charges filed in the case. Callers may remain anonymous.

Reach Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959.

Here's the latest on last night's deadly boating crash on Lake Tapps.

Investigators have cleared the scene and will be conducting follow up work today.

Officer Tony Rice said the number of injured is unusual. There hasn't been a boating accident with that number of casualties in a while.

Here's a map of the location. Note the locator icon is on Interlake Island but the crash occurred in the waterway between Interlake and Inlet islands.

UPDATE: The victim who died has been identified as Ronald Scott, 49, of Bonney Lake.

Pierce County search and rescue teams were looking for a person believed missing in Lake Tapps after an apparent boating mishap late Monday night.

Radio traffic indicated that county dive teams were being directed to the boat ramp at 197th Avenue East to participate in the search. No other information was available late Monday.

A man named Ramon Hernandez was charged Monday with the kidnapping, rape and robbery of a woman who told Tacoma Police she knew him from Bible study class.

Tacoma officers met with the 44-year-old victim on Sept. 21 at a hospital where she was having a rape examination, court records say. According to the prosecutor's affidavit:

The woman told police she had brought him dinner after a lunch date fell through. Once inside, he held a knife to her throat, tied her up, gagged her with a sock and raped her.

The defendant said he would kill her again if she did not cooperate and [she]. told him he would have to kill her. She began telling him that Jesus loves him and she began praying out loud. The defendant gagged her again and covered her head.

She told police he then took her car keys and left. She was able to free herself and fled to her church.

Police searched Hernandez's home and "located the spaghetti dinner [she] delivered, and they located a white sock and butter knife in the bedroom. Officers also later recovered [her] car and located a steak knife on the front seat console. [She] reported she did not have a knife in her vehicle."

Hernandez was being held Monday evening in lieu of $200,000 bond.

Here's the press release from the U.S. Attorney's office:

HENRY KEELER REDLIGHTNING, 59, of Bellingham, Washington, was convicted late Friday, September 26, 2008, in U.S. District Court in Seattle, of Murder in the First Degree. The jury deliberated about five hours following a two-week trial before returning the guilty verdict. REDLIGHTNING faces a mandatory prison term of life in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart on January 20, 2009.

According to testimony at trial and records in the case, the naked body of Rita Disanjh was found in a slough on the Lummi Indian Reservation on August 9, 1987. Disanjh had been strangled. The crime went unsolved for twenty years until October 2, 2007, when REDLIGHNING, an enrolled member of the Lummi Inidan Tribe, confessed to the crime. REDLIGHTNING knew key details about the crime that had not been publicized in the years since the murder. REDLIGHTNING said he strangled Disanjh after giving her a ride from a beach party on the Lummi Reservation. REDLIGHTNING claimed he had become angry after Disanjh persistently asked him about his service in the Vietnam war.

At trial prosecutors introduced testimony of a strikingly similar attack in 1990, in which the victim survived. REDLIGHTNING served three years in prison for that rape and assault. Defense attorneys claimed that REDLIGHTNING had been coerced to confess by interviewers who had first asked him about his Vietnam experience. The jury did not believe that argument, finding REDLIGHTNING acted with premeditation to sexually assault and murder Rita Disanjh.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and Bellingham Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William H. Redkey Jr., and Matthew Diggs.

This is a little out of our circulation area, but the photo is pretty amazing.

Here's the press release from the Poulsbo Fire Department:

(Poulsbo, Kitsap County) Poulsbo Fire Department paramedics treated the operator of this “Unlimited Chainsaw” competition after the saw suddenly erupted into flames. Old Mills Days took place this weekend in Port Gamble. It draws hundreds of spectators from around the Northwest to see this event and others such as; tree climbing, limbing and wood carving. The 50 year old man was treated on the scene for minor burns.

In today's paper I had an article about McNeil Island prison being fined $28,400 for exposing inmate workers and employees to asbestos-laden dust because proper precautions weren't taken.

I just spoke to Tom Hili, one of the certified asbestos supervisors mentioned in a Department of Labor and Industries report on the problems. He was in training and unavailable for comment at the time the story was written.

According to Hili, his involvement with the project was very minor. After the tile was ripped up, he brought a glue product to put on it to prevent the spread of asbestos fibers and put sealed bags containing the tiles into a storage closet.

He said he was never interviewed by L&I about the projects because he "really wasn't involved" in them.

Criminal justice officials, treatment providers, prevention specialists and politicians will gather today in Tacoma for a two-day methamphetamine summit.

This is the state's seventh such summit on the meth epidemic. More than 275 people are expected to be in attendance for the event at the Hotel Murano, according to a press release from Pierce County.

The summit will kick off this morning with a "Parade of Transformation," which is billed as an hour and 15 minutes of speeches from 22 speakers. (A press release from Gov. Chris Gregoire's office said she'll be addressing the summit at 8:30 a.m., extending the parade to 90 minutes.)

Other politicians in attendance will be U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Pierce County Executive John W. Ladenburg.

Here's a little more from the press release.

The summit's goal is to further equip the attendees to carry on the fight against meth in their communities, according to Executive Director Terree Schmidt-Whelan of the Pierce County Alliance. "We want to introduce the National Methamphetamine Training and Technical Assistance Center to the meth-impacted agencies and communities in our state," she said.

The Tacoma-based center is designed to assist communities across the nation in the fight against the manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine. The center is being formed through a partnership of the Pierce County Alliance and Safe Streets Campaign, both of which are part of the Washington State Methamphetamine Initiative. Funding for the center was allocated through the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

"We also want to showcase the ongoing WSMI efforts across the state to combat the manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine,"
Schmidt-Whelan said.

The benefits of the Innovative Treatment Model and research that validates the effectiveness of Safe Streets Campaign-inspired Methamphetamine Action Teams will be presented during the summit.

Attendees also will hear of current methamphetamine trends, such as trafficking of stronger forms of meth by Latino gangs.

I'll be at the event this morning and will report back.

Federal Way Police were unable to send us surveillance video of a 12-hour-old infant being abandoned at a church early Sunday morning.

You can watch the video at KOMO's Web site.

Police are asking for the public's help figuring out who the woman in the video is and whether she's the baby's mother.

A while back I posted some of the strange search terms that brought people to articles on our blog.

Because I find these them amusing (and often disturbing) here are some more from today:

*all nude pics of girls who would have sex with a10 year old
*Preventions of people becoming a serial killer
*how to steal items
*what are the lights outside the car?
*I got a DUI in kent washington but vehicle was parked
*MIAMI HERALD HELP ME HAROLD
*men with the name todd who have been charged with possesion of child porn in north dacota driving a tractor trailer
*forced genital shaving images

We just got a call from the local Red Cross saying a fire in Puyallup had left 11 seven people homeless.

We've got a call into Puyallup officials trying to find out more details.

UPDATE: Fire officials said it was a small bedroom fire, which was put out quickly. A mother and six children were displaced. No injuries reported.

Here's the press release from the Kent Police:

KENT, WA – September 27, 2008 – A Kent west hill man with an extensive criminal history was arrested early this morning at his residence without incident. The 42 year old man was involved in an early morning Domestic Violence incident where he assaulted his girlfriend in their home. The suspect was armed with a handgun at the time of the assault, is a two strike offender, and made additional threats that he would harm police if attempts were made to arrest him.

The suspect retreated to his residence and was unresponsive to officers attempting calls inside. Valley SWAT was activated, surrounded the residence, and deployed two Noise Flash Diversionary Devices (NFDD) to the exterior of the residence. After several minutes the suspect exited the front door, surrendered, and was arrested without incident.

According to Deputy Chief Mike Painter, “This was a textbook case of our Patrol Officers, Detectives and Valley SWAT working together to take a dangerous violent offender into custody without anyone being injured. We successfully removed a clear community threat from Kent’s streets today”.

The suspect is now held in custody at the Kent Jail where he awaits arraignment on Felony Assault and Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act (VUFA) charges.

Lakewood police are searching for a well-disguised man who robbed a bank on Monday.

The department and Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers released bank surveillance photographs of the robber on Friday.

The man entered the Heritage Bank, 8801 South Tacoma Way, in Lakewood at 10:12 a.m. Monday.

He walked to the counter and shouted at the teller to give him cash, police reported. He indicated he was armed with a weapon.

He took the money, then fled. The robber was last seen heading east on 88th Street while riding a bicycle, police reported.

Witnesses described him as white, 5 feet 10 and 180 pounds. He wore a black hooded, zippered sweatshirt with white edges and black gloves, police reported.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and charges filed in the case. Reach Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959.

Callers may remain anonymous.

The Associated Ministries will hold two Moment of Blessing ceremonies today for men recently in Pierce County.

The first spiritual ceremony is for Thomas Antwon Henderson, who was killed by his gun during a dispute early Monday at the bar inside the Friendly Duck, 5026 South Tacoma Way. The ceremony begins at 1 p.m. at the restaurant.

The second ceremony starts at 2 p.m. for Ramoncito Barro III, who was fatally shot in a University Place adult care home, 5805 62nd St. W., last week. Barro, a 33-year-old father, owned the home and was shot by one of his elder residents. Joe Elder, 91, has been charged but is undergoing a mental health evaluation to see if he's competent to proceed.

The locations of each ceremony will be marked by bamboo poles laced with red and purple ribbons. Each ribbon bears the name and date of death of Pierce County's homicide victims.

The Moment of Blessing ceremonies are designed to cleanse the place where homicides occur in the county. They also are intended to provide support to the victim's families, friends and the neighborhood where the crimes occur.

They are open to the public.

A Lakewood police officer shot and wounded a man early today after the man drove at the officer with his car.

The 30-year-old man was hit three times – twice in the shoulder and once in the face – and is expected to survive his injuries, Lakewood police Lt. Heidi Hoffman said. He was undergoing treatment at Tacoma General Hospital.

The 30-year-old officer, who’s been with Lakewood for five years, has been put on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.

The incident began about 1:40 a.m. Lakewood patrol officers spotted a man they thought might be driving drunk on 100th Street Southwest, Hoffman said. The officers tried to stop the man but he took off.

“The chase was on,” Hoffman said.

The man turned onto Bridgeport Way Southwest. He hit a couple of patrol cars, then went through a business parking lot in the 9100 block of Bridgeport Way Southwest, Hoffman said.

He got into the back part of the lot, where his vehicle got stuck.

Officers got out of their patrol cars and started approaching the man’s vehicle. The man put his vehicle into reverse and headed toward the officers.

One officer fired his weapon. The man maneuvered his way out of the parking lot, Hoffman said.

The man hit two more patrol cars as he fled. Officers pursued him and one did a maneuver that stopped the vehicle at Gravelly Lake Drive Southwest and Steilacoom Boulevard Southwest.

The man was immediately taken into custody. Officers discovered the man was injured, and he was taken to the hospital.

Four patrol cars were damaged – one significantly when the man hit it head on – during the pursuit, Hoffman said. No officers or bystanders were injured.

Officers don’t know why the man tried to flee. He had a suspended license and a warrant for his arrest.

Lakewood’s major crimes unit was investigating the shooting, Hoffman said.

This news release comes to us from our friends at Washington Courts. Justice Beals was a Washington state legal legend.

More than 50 years ago, the Washington State Supreme Court played a small but significant part in the historic trials at Nuremberg, Germany following World War II. Now some of that history is making its way back to the Court, and will be on display in the Washington State Law Library from October 2 through the end of November.

The library will launch its display with an open house on Oct. 2 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The library is located in the Temple of Justice on the Capital Campus in Olympia.

In 1946, state Supreme Court Justice Walter Beals had been on the high bench for more than 18 years when he was suddenly recalled into active duty by the U.S. Army. Beals had served in the Army during World War I and was still a reserve colonel. The Army sent Justice Beals to Nuremberg, where he served as presiding judge over the infamous Doctors’ Trial (U.S. Nuremberg Military Tribunal No. 1). In that trial, 23 German physicians and scientists were tried for conducting thousands of medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners, and well as for their participation in the mass euthanasia conducted by Nazi officials. Beals presided over three other judicial officers in the long trial, which ended in seven death sentences, seven acquittals, and nine defendants sentenced to various terms in prison.

After nearly a year in Nuremberg, Beals returned to the Washington Supreme Court. He brought with him one of the few original mimeographed transcripts of the “Judgment of the International Military Tribunal for the Trial of German Major War Criminals,” and the chair he used throughout the Doctor’s Trial. Both will be on display in the Law Library’s main reading room, along with other materials from the library’s collection on the Nuremberg trials. The chair is on loan from the University of Washington School of Law.

Also on view during the open house will be a demonstration of the library’s new video tutorial on Washington’s legislative history. The tutorial was created with a new software program that will allow the library to create videos on other topics in the future.

Here's an update on the capacity hearing for Semaj Booker.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Frank Cuthbertson heard closing arguments this afternoon in the case.

He said he'll issue a written ruling early next week.

Federal and local law enforcement officers say they've busted the Rojas drug trafficking organization. More than a dozen people face federal cocaine trafficking charges.

Here's the press release from the U.S. District Attorney's Office.

More than a dozen people face federal cocaine trafficking charges following a year-long investigation into the Rojas drug trafficking organization operating in the Seattle, Washington, and Rexburg, Idaho areas. Using court authorized wiretaps, law enforcement was able to track the activities of the drug organization and made arrests as the Seattle area leader took delivery of 15 kilos of cocaine. Fifteen people have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Washington. Additionally, six people are in state or immigration custody. In Idaho, six people were arrested last week, and seven additional customers of the drug ring were arrested this morning. Over the past month authorities searched seven locations in Western Washington and seized 20 kilos of cocaine,16 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately $940,000 in cash, and numerous cars and boats.

This organization was moving large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Sullivan. “Some of these defendants were supplying drugs to street gangs that prey on our kids, and threaten our safety.”

The federal focus on the Rojas organization intensified in November 2007, when a Cadillac Escalade registered to a Seattle resident was stopped by Oregon State Police as it traveled north on Interstate -5 outside of Salem. BERTARIO SANTOS-ROJAS was a passenger in the Escalade. A drug K-9 alerted to the SUV, and following an x-ray examination by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Portland, investigators found 31 kilos of cocaine and more than $11,000 cash hidden in a speaker box in the rear of the SUV. The driver of the SUV, and BERTARIO SANTOS-ROJAS are charged in connection with that seizure in the District of Oregon as well.

Following that traffic stop, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Seattle Police Department and King County Sheriff’s Office, continued to gather information about the Rojas organization. On September 10, 2008, aware of a major cocaine delivery, law enforcement moved in and made arrests. Those indicted include:

BERTARIO SANTOS-ROJAS, 36, Auburn, Washington

DARYL SHEARS, 43, Renton, Washington

MARIA BAEZ, 30, Kent, Washington

FELICIA BOWEN, 36, Kent, Washington

JESUS YORDANI MORENO ZUAREZ, 20, Shoreline, Washington

IGNACIO PENA-GARCIA, 32, Bothell, Washington

JOSE VIDAL-BARRAZA, 21, Renton, Washington

NESTOR CRUZ-SANTIAGO, a/k/a “Rica,” 22, Renton, Washington

BALTAZAR DAVILA CERVANTES, 24, Burien, Washington

CHRISTIAN RUELAS-ORTIZ, 22, Culiacan, Mexico

MARTIN MIGUEL VELASCO, 30, Mexico

DANIEL ROBERTO LOPEZ-LOPEZ, 24, Sinaloa, Mexico

SIMON RUIZ GARCIA, 37, of Kent, Washington

MAURA MEZA, 24, of Renton, Washington

GEORGINA FERNANDEZ, 22, Issaquah, Washington

Some of the defendants are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, and some are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine.

“This well established and sophisticated organization controlled by Sinaloan drug sources no longer exists in the Pacific Northwest,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Arnold R. Moorin. “The investigation is yet another outstanding example of law enforcement partnerships working together as one.”

“This investigation illustrates the tremendous working relationship between agencies. The amount of drugs destined for the Seattle area would have caused misery and ruin to untold numbers of people had they not been stopped. The effort of the detectives and agents involved is truly remarkable,” said Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske..

“Partnering with other law enforcement agencies is key to stopping those who seek to profit from the sale of illegal drugs,” said Leigh Winchell, Special Agent in Charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Seattle. “ICE remains committed to expanding these relationships to leverage our enforcement capabilities against drug traffickers.”

The Conspiracy counts are punishable by ten years to life in prison. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute is punishable by five to forty years in prison. The charges contained in an indictment or complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Seattle Police Department and King County Sheriff’s Office.

A 41-year-old woman critically injured earlier this month when she was hit by a relative’s car has died of her injuries.

Stephanie Meachem of Tacoma died in a hospice facility Wednesday, the Pierce County Medical Examiners’s Office reported.

Pierce County prosecutors previously charged her 21-year-old nephew with vehicular assault for causing her injuries. Howard Harper could face more serious charges now that Meachem has died, Puyallup police Lt. Dave McDonald said today.

Court documents provide the following account.

There was an argument among family members at Harper's home in the 800 block of Eighth Avenue Northwest in Puyallup early on Sept. 9.

Harper told investigators he’d been drinking and decided to leave in his car.

Meachem got in front of the car and tried to stop her nephew. She was hit by the vehicle and suffered massive brain injuries.

Harper told investigators his aunt jumped in front of his vehicle. He slammed on the brakes but hit her. He stopped, called 911 and approached officers when they arrived on the scene.

Officers took Harper to the city jail and administered a portable breath test. The test indicated he had a blood alcohol level of 0.152, court documents state.

Harper was arraigned on the vehicular assault charge Sept. 10 and pleaded not guilty. He remains in Pierce County Jail in lieu of $65,000 bail.

A contingent of local firefighters will be training today on property owned by Mountain View Funeral Home, Memorial Park and Crematory, the business reported.

The firefighters make up the Pierce County Tactical Rescue Team. Their home departments are Lakewood, University Place, Gig Harbor, Graham, Central Pierce and Puyallup.

The team specializes in trench, high-angle rescues and building collapses. The funeral home staff has dug a trench for the training.

Loved ones of homicide victims will gather in Olympia today for a national day of remembrance.

The National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims is intended to honor the memories of those who were slain and to recognize the impact of their loss on surviving family members and friends.

The ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Washington State Capitol Rotunda in Olympia.

Family members are asked to bring a photo of their loved one.

Jesse Andrew Floberg took off from the Tacoma Narrows Airport earlier this year.

No crime in that.

Except, authorities contend, Floberg was piloting his car – not an airplane – at the time.

The 22-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one count of vehicular assault stemming from his subsequent crash landing.

His buddy suffered a broken leg when Floberg’s car succumbed to gravity after its short flight and overturned in a grassy field at the end of the small airport’s only runway.

According to court documents, Floberg and his friend spent the night of May 27 drinking at a tavern. At one point, Floberg decided he wanted to see how fast his car would go, the documents state.

Floberg, who at the time worked at the airport, used a code to let himself onto the runway, authorities contend.

He then floored the accelerator.

His car hit 105 mph before it reached the end of the runway, sheered off a runway light and continued into the field beyond, the records state.

“The defendant stated he misjudged the runway warning lights and continued to drive through the field, losing control and going airborne,” deputy prosecutor Kevin Benton wrote in charging documents.

Police arrived to find Floberg's car down an embankment and his friend "in extreme pain," the records state.

A blood test later showed Floberg had a blood-alcohol level of .11, the court documents state. The legal limit to operate a car is .08 in Washington.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle on Wednesday released Floberg on his own recognizance pending the resolution of the case.

Floberg and his attorney, Richard Lockner, declined to comment.

Officers and detectives are on the scene of a robbery at Heritage Bank, 1119 Pacific Ave.

The robbery occurred at 12:22 p.m. today.

The bandit entered the bank and handed the teller a note that indicated he had a bomb.

He fled in an unknown direction on Pacific Avenue.

He was described as white, 18 to 25 years old, 6 feet 1 and about 160 pounds. He was wearing a baseball hat, blue jeans and blue jacket.

Officers are searching for the bandit now.

The description is awfully similar to this bank robber, who hit a Puyallup bank last week.

UPDATE: Here's a picture of the suspect from today's robbery at Heritage Bank.

Investigators believe it's the same man who robbed the Puyallup bank last week.

Investigators are looking at other recent bank robberies to see if he matches the suspect description, Fulghum said.

Starting Nov. 1, there will be new rules for panhandlers who try to get money from residents in unincorporated Pierce County.

The Pierce County Council passed the ordinance Tuesday. It calls for a number of measures. It comes after aggressive panhandling measures adopted by the City of Tacoma.

Read the county's press release below.

Panhandlers must stay at least 25 feet away from people using ATM machines, pay phones, gas stations or other exposed public areas in unincorporated Pierce County under a proposal the County Council adopted yesterday (Sept. 23), which also prohibits aggressive and roadside panhandling.

The proposal's prime sponsors, Councilmembers Barbara Gelman (District 5) and Calvin Goings (District 2), said they've heard from citizens, businesses and community groups about increased panhandling in their districts. Most complained that panhandlers target people who are a "captive audience" - such as those waiting for a bus, washing their car at a self-service car wash or loading groceries into their car in a parking lot - and can't easily leave the area.

"People are more vulnerable to crime when they're focused on doing something else, especially at night," said Gelman, who chairs the council's Public Safety and Human Services Committee that took public testimony on the proposal July 7 and Aug. 4. "They shouldn't have to avoid certain areas just because they're afraid of who they might encounter."

The proposal also makes it illegal to panhandle to moving vehicles, which can cause accidents if a driver is surprised by an approaching panhandler. It governs only county roadways and not state highways or interchanges.

"This proposal does not prohibit panhandling," said Goings, the measure's other prime sponsor. "It merely puts some common-sense limits on where it can occur."

Both councilmembers noted that the county funds agencies that serve the homeless and assists those who are truly needy. Pierce County Human Services can be reached toll free at 800-642-5769, and housing information and assistance are available at 253-798-7038.

The ordinance (2008-45s) takes effect Nov. 1 and carries a penalty of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both.

Safe Streets is hosting a meth forum this week at Pacific Lutheran University. A release promises "in-depth discussion on meth trends including drug trafficking, meth-related crime, and teen use," and it sounds a chance to get all your meth-related questions answered.

(And if you can't make it, watch a few episodes of A&E's "Intervention." Spooky.)

WHAT: Meth Forum
WHERE: Xavier Hall, 12108 C Street South, Tacoma
WHEN: 6-8 p.m. Thursday

Just a reminder that today is the for the state earthquake drill.

We're all asked to drop, cover and hold promptly at 10:15 a.m.

The drill is part of the National Preparedness and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio Month.

The monthly test of the emergency alert system will initiate the drill. The test is sent to radio and television stations.

Fire badly damaged a house in central Tacoma on Tuesday evening, firefighters reported. No one was hurt.

The blaze began about 7:40 p.m. in the second story of a house in the 2100 block of South 8th Street, assistant fire chief Dan Crotty said.

The people who live there were outside by the time the first units arrived, Crotty said. More than 20 firefighters responded and doused the flames by about 8:35 p.m.

Damage is estimated at at least $60,000, Crotty said.

The cause was under investigation late Tuesday.

The Red Cross was called out to provide temporary shelter to the people displaced by the blaze.

Antonio Sarate-Mecina was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in the federal slammer after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin and distribution of crack cocaine, the U.S. Attorney's Office reported.

Sarate-Mecina, 42, was arrested in Tacoma in August 2007 after police twice saw him delivering drugs, according to an agency news release.

Sarate-Mecina previously was convicted of assault in state court, the news release state. In that case, he reportedly tried to pull a gun on a narcotics officer who was following him and had to be wrestled to the ground.

Sarate-Mecina is a Mexican resident in the United States illegally, the agency reported. He likely will be deported after serving his prison term.

A 21-year-old man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of vehicular homicide stemming from an October 2007 illegal street race that left a teenager dead.

Judge Thomas Felnagle released Richard Allen Frazer on his own recognizance following his arraignment in Pierce County Superior Court.

Authorities contend Frazer accepted 19-year-old Cameron Harbin's challenge to race last fall on a residential street in East Pierce County.

The two young men reached speeds of 100 mph on 128th Street East before Harbin lost control and crashed, according to court documents.

Prosecutors say Frazer engaged in an illegal activity that resulted in another person's death and therefore must take some responsibility for the deadly crash.

Frazer was supposed to be arraigned last week but failed to show up in court. His attorney, Michael Clark, said his client was splitting time between two homes and did not receive a summons sent by prosecutors.

Pierce County sheriff’s detectives have arrested a man on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a man in a Parkland mobile home park earlier this month.

The 27-year-old man has been in Pierce County Jail since his arrest Sept. 5 on unrelated charges. The new booking charge of first-degree murder was recently added and the man is expected to be in court for arraignment in the hit-and-run case this afternoon, according to the online court calendar.

He was developed as a suspect in the hit-and-run crash involving a stolen pickup truck after his Sept. 5 arrest, Pierce County sheriff’s detective Sgt. Jerry Bates said.

Francisco Olivares-Zompaxtle, 33, and his brother were getting ready for work the morning of Sept. 4 and had started up the brother’s pick up truck in a mobile home park in the 1000 block of 73rd Street Court East. A thief tried to steal the truck, setting off a confrontation with Olivares-Zompaxtle. The thief got into the truck, hit Olivares-Zompaxtle at least once and took off.

Olivares-Zompaxtle died of his injuries. Sheriff’s deputies found the truck later that day abandoned in an apartment complex parking lot at 112th Street Southwest and Steele Street.

The 27-year-old suspect was arrested early the next day in an unrelated case.

According to court documents, a Lakewood police officer spotted a dark-colored Honda speeding westbound in the 3000 block of 84th Street South just before 3:30 a.m. Sept. 5 and tried to stop the car.

The driver appeared to look for a place to turn. When the Lakewood officer activated his emergency lights, the Honda driver speed off. The car wound through a residential neighborhood at speeds between 40 and 50 mph and blew through a stop sign. Just past the intersection of 86th Street South and 34th Avenue South, the driver abruptly stopped the car, jumped out and ran.

The Lakewood officer, who happens to be a K-9 officer, yelled at the driver to stop or else he’d release his police dog. The driver continued to run and went into an apartment complex.

The officer released the police dog, who found the driver. The driver struggled with the dog and the officer but was eventually taken into custody.

Officers found two baggies of marijuana on the man.

Prosecutors charged him with felony eluding, obstructing a police officer and unlawful drug possession in connection with the incident.

Safe Streets is taking registration for its neighborhood patrol academy. It's open to anyone who wants to help start or sustain a patrol group in their neighborhood.

Participants learn how to safely combat crime in their neighborhoods. Training lasts three sessions -- Oct. 9, 16 and 23 -- from 7-9 p.m.

Previous academies (read about one here) were held at the Tacoma Police Department headquarters building, but this will be at the Salishan Family Investment Center at 1724 E. 44th St.

To register, e-mail David Cantlin at choo_choo_dave@yahoo.com, call 253-272-6824 or visit safest.org.

Richard A. Frazer might not be on the run after all.

Court documents filed late last week indicate he's hired an attorney and requested a hearing to quash a warrant issued for his arrest.

The hearing is set for Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Tacoma defense attorney Michael Clark requested the hearing Friday, the day after Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle ordered a bench warrant for Frazer when he failed to show up for arraignment on a single count of vehicular homicide.

Prosecutors charged him earlier this month in the 2007 death of Cameron Harbin, who died when he lost control of his car and crashed during an illegal street race against Frazer (seen here).

San Pancho may be the paradise Bill Garrison thinks it is after all.

This morning a friend of his named Manuel said the man who pulled out the gun on the beach last night is a well-known local sociopath who lost his eye in a fight with police years ago. Manuel thinks the gun was not a real one. He says the man waved a gun around in a San Pancho restaurant last Christmas and emptied out the whole place. The gun turned out to be plastic.

Bill Garrison showed us the San Pancho school where the Pierce County computers will end up and introduced us to Nicole Swedlow, a 34-year-old American who has organized the whole effort.

Nicole has been in San Pancho for seven years and, mostly with the help of relatively wealthy Americans who are flooding into this area, has started an art gallery, a library, a community center and a computer center.

“When I got here there was kind of this space between cultures that wasn’t being bridged,” she said. “Things were changing really fast. The idea was so all these well educated people could make lives better for the local people.”

Nicole took us to the computer room at the elementary school, where 200 students share four computers (all surplused by Pierce County). The school so far has no internet access.

Drew and I flew out of the Puerto Vallarta airport this afternoon and are now in Phoenix.

Jose, Ed Troyer and the rest of the Mission to Mexico crew will fly out tomorrow.

Still no word on whether Jose and Ed have managed to get the 12 pallets of donated equipment out of customs.

Lakewood police detectives are looking for the thieves who stole more than $20,000 worth of wire and metal from a handful of businesses last weekend.

The thieves ripped wire out of four parking light poles at one business, grabbed a stash of scrap aluminum from a locked fenced area of another business and stole several spools of copper wire from the locked building of a third business.

Surveillance cameras captured a suspect trying to remove wire from a light pole at a fourth business. Eventually, the would-be thief gave up and left.

He was seen in a white or light-colored, older, four-door sedan.

Bill Garrison, Chief Investigator for the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office, left, checks on the progress of a tiny elementary school in his vacation home of San Pancho. Some of the Mission to Mexico computers will end up here. From left: Garrison; Lucio Alberto, 11; Almicia Cisneros, 11; principal Raymundo Garcia; and Nicole Swedlow, who runs the Mis Amigos programs.

The Washington State Patrol has lost another former chief.

Here's the recently-issued press release from the agency.

(Olympia) — For the second time in as many months, the Washington State Patrol is mourning the death of a retired agency Chief.

George Tellevik, who served as Chief from 1985 to 1993, died of cancer over the weekend.

“Chief Tellevik was really about service,” said current Chief John R.
Batiste. “He always emphasized that troopers work hard, but was particularly interested in ensuring that citizens with disabled vehicles got help quickly.

Batiste recently reinstituted the Tellevik-era agency motto of “Service with Humility.”

Another of Tellevik’s priorities was growing future chiefs. He was constantly on the lookout for potential leaders, and made sure they had access to the best training possible. Many of those identified by Tellevik are now in leadership positions at WSP. Some have even gone on to serve as local police chiefs, or elected sheriffs.

“People all over this state are safer because George Tellevik knew that police agencies could be no better than their leaders,” Batiste said.

Tellevik went outside the agency to verify that his improvements were appropriate, and effective. The agency sought and received outside accreditation at both the state and national levels. WSP was one of the first state police agencies in the country to receive national accreditation.

Tellevik was chief at a time when the state’s economy was poor. But he managed to increase the number of troopers on the road to increase service to motorists. He also won legislative support to improve WSP facilities, many of which were old gas stations and World War II era military buildings.

Chief Tellevik would have celebrated his 75th birthday on Sept. 27. Funeral arrangements are pending.

After the fire we packed up and left Ayutla, headed back across the coast range for San Pancho. (Bill Garrison’s village, and where the Pierce County computers will end up if they ever get out of customs).

Six of us piled into the Suburban, leaving Ed and Jose in Ayutla with the Mexivan so they can go back to the Guadalajara airport today and try to get the rest of the stuff out of customs.

The highway across the mountains was, if possible, even worse than last time. We ran into rain, which caused more rockslides. In one place, half of one lane was gone completely, as if something had taken a big bite out of it. Under it was just open sky and a sheer drop.

Ed Hauge did such a good job driving we gave him a round of applause when we got to flat ground.

The sun was setting by the time we reached San Pancho

On the beach, we sat in an outdoor café and watched a thunderstorm approach in the dark, the clouds lit up every few seconds by lightning.

We were the last ones on the beach. Just as we turned to leave, a deranged looking guy walked up to us, staggering. Bill glanced back and saw him pull a handgun out of his pants, then sit down beside Phil, who was still in his chair.

Bill can hardly believe his eyes. “Did that guy just show a piece?” he says.

We watch as the guy and Phil sit there for a few seconds. Phil slowly gets up and walks toward us. The guy remains seated, facing the water.

Phil, who does not speak Spanish, said the guy was just babbling at him, not making sense.

Bill is outraged and embarrassed for his town. “That never happens here,” he says. “That never happens in San Pancho.”

Ayutla firefighters, former Seattle firefighter Phil Michelsen and a couple children who hopped on at the last minute, arrive at the scene of a small house fire. In the background is a puff of white smoke emanating from the fire, Sunday, September 21, 2008.

Ayutla firefighter Jose Roberto looks with confusion after attempting to connect the wrong end of the fire hose to the pump on the town's new fire engine, Sunday, September 21, 2008.

For those interested in seeing what daily life looks like Ayutla from a photographer's
street level perspective please visit my gallery using the link below:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/942/story/488691.html

Friends of Collin Keck, who was killed last week while riding his bicycle to work, have set up a web site o share information about Collin's memorial services, memories of him and photos.

You can post thoughts and prayers as well.

Collin was riding his bike to work at an engineering firm Thursday morning when his tires slipped on some grass, fell into the roadway and the path of a dump truck.

Collin was hit and killed.

Collin recently graduated from Gonzaga University.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has ordered that flags at all state buildings be lowered today in honor of U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Eichmann Strickland.

The Arlington native was killed in action Sept. 9 in the Panwar Province of Afganistan.

Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset today or first thing Tuesday.

Detectives and forensic investigators have located a gun in the area of an officer-involved shooting that injured one man in Parkland last week.

The gun was discovered about 9:30 a.m. Saturday about 10 feet from the path of a K-9 dog's track, sheriff's detective Sgt. Jerry Bates said.

The shooting occurred early Wednesday. Two deputies contacted two men who matched the descriptions of suspects in an assault and attempted robbery at a Pacific Avenue gas station minutes early.

One man was taken into custody without incident along 112th Street. The other was being patted down by a deputy when the deputy felt what he suspected was a gun. The man struggled to get free.

The deputies shot and wounded the 21-year-old man when they believed he was going for the suspected weapon.

The man fled and was found by a police dog 30 minutes later. He was hiding in some bushes more than a block from the shooting scene.

Investigators spent several days combing the area, looking for evidence and the possible weapon.

They used GPS technology to mark the spot where the man had shed some clothing early Wednesday. Based on the police dog's track, searchers looked in a brushy area and found the handgun.

"The condition of the gun suggested it had not been there very long; it did not appear weathered or rusted," a press release from the Sheriff's Department states.

Investigators will be working to track down who owned the gun. They'll also process it for evidence to see who had the gun when it was tossed aside.

Two men got into an argument early today inside the bar at the Friendly Duck, 5026 South Tacoma Way.

One pulled out a gun and was shot with it during a struggle.

No arrests have been made. Homicide detectives were called out and interviewed the other suspect and witneses.

Here's the story on our homepage.

Exactly 36 hours after getting the keys to their new fire engine, the brand new Ayutla fire department got called to a real fire.

Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. a half dozen volunteers had just returned from the river where they learned how to fill the tender’s 2000 gallon tank.

They returned to the town square to pick up Phil Michelsen, the Gig Harbor firefighter who helped deliver the truck, so he could teach them how to use the pump and hoses.

“I thought we were going to practice,” Michelsen said. “Then Jose (Lopez) yelled at me saying they have a real fire and we got to go.”

With Michelsen and seven other people hanging onto the tail board and a half dozen more on top, the fire engine raced through the cobbled streets, siren screaming.

The fire was in the ground floor of a house about a mile from the plaza and smoke was pouring out when the truck arrived.

Michelsen got down on his hands and knees and crawled under the smoke to get inside.

“I went in while they were running around in circles,” Michelsen said. “It was pretty bad. The smoke was a couple of feet from the floor.”

Michelsen checked to see that no one was inside, then threw out a smoldering couch.

“I came out and they were throwing hoses all over the place, none of which was the right one,” he said.

Michelsen engaged the pump and put four people on the end of the 2 ½-inch hose. The nozzle for the hose was still stuck in customs back at the Guadalajara airport, so they were forced to use it wide open.

“It was all the four of them could do to hold onto it,” Michelsen said.

In minutes, it was over, and the volunteers were out on the street again, rolling up the hoses.

There were no injuries, but the house badly damaged, mostly by the water
.
Michelsen slapped the volunteers on their backs and shook their hands. “You did great,” he told them. “You’re real bomberos (firefighters) now.”

Afterward, poking at a bleeding knuckle he cut in the effort, Michelsen said, “They did fantastic for their first time. The adrenaline was pretty high. They were pumped up pretty good. If you had taken their pulses, I’m sure it would have been up around 200 times a minute.”

I talked to a man today who said the ambulance delivered on last year’s Mission to Mexico saved his life.

Francisco Moran Guzman, a 23-year old construction worker, said he was minding his own business in the town square during the bullfights in January. A man he had some problem with saw him and gave him a shove.

“I asked him, ‘What’s going on?’” Guzman said. “I don’t want any trouble.”

The man pulled out a knife and stabbed him several times in the chest. Guzman said he was able to make his way across the street to the police station even though he was bleeding heavily.

There, Louis Cianca, Ayutla’s director of civil protection, was on duty. Cianca, who is also a medic, put him in the ambulance, did what he could to slow the bleeding and rushed him to the small medical clinic in town.

“He would have bled to death if the ambulance had not been there to keep him stabilized,” Cianca said.

Guzman said he fully recovered and is back at work, although he still has not made peace with the man who stabbed him.

Cianca keeps detailed records of all emergency runs, says the ambulance has transported 40 critical cases in the past year.

One of the most clear instances in which a person’s life was saved by the ambulance happened in January outside of Cuautla, a town north of Ayutla. Cianca got a call for assistance from the Cuautla police. When he arrived on the scene he discovered that an SUV loaded with people on their way from a birthday party had been going too fast and missed a curve. The truck flew into the air, rolled over and landed on top of two young girls, on 16 and the other 17, who had been walking along the shoulder.

An ambulance crew from Cuautla was working on one of the girls. The other girl’s neck appeared to be broken. Cianca strapped her to the ambulance gurney, put in an IV and took her to the hospital. She lived because of the facilities aboard the ambulance, Cianca said. Her friend went into cardiac arrest and died.

All but one of the 40 critical cases transported by the ambulance last year survived, Cianca said. The one who did not was a 12-year old girl who hung herself. Cianca had some hope that he could save her but was unable to, he said.

The Mission to Mexico’s arrival in Ayutla coincided with the opening of a week-long religious festival, honoring the town’s patron saint. The plaza is transformed into a carnival, with rides for the kids and dozens of booths selling food and souvenirs. Every 15 minutes the church bells ring and somebody shoots off a cannon.

Last night, El Presidente Miguel Gomez had one of his police officers pull the fire engine onto the plaza so people could see it better. Phil Michelsen and Jeff Anderson hoisted children up into the cab of the truck and let them work the siren and lights, making a dog howl on the opposite side of the square. Only the bravest little boys allow themselves to be lifted up. Most hang back, watching.

Last year’s Mission to Mexico coincided with the festival, too, and hundreds of people crowded into the plaza until late at night. This year, it’s raining, so there are only a few dozen people, ducking under plastic tarps hung from trees whenever a downpour starts.

A mariachi band plays a few numbers in the plaza but the musicians give up when their violins and guitars get wet.

We got a chance to see the ambulance in action last night. While Phil and Jeff were hoisting kids, two Ayutla police officers, wearing their all black uniforms, raced across the square to the fire truck and got a big bolt cutter out of one of the side compartments. They raced back to the police station, jumped into the ambulance and tore off down the street, lights on and siren whooping. We heard later they went to an accident out on the highway and assume they were using the bolt cutters to extricate victims.

El Presidente Gomez hosted a celebration dinner for the Mission crew, and because of the rain, moved it inside to a room on the second floor of the municipal building. Inside, there was a long table set up for the crew members, Jose Lopez’ family and several town officials.

As soon as we were seated, the mariachi band filed in, squeezing in behind our chairs and the concrete block walls. There were eight of them, including two trumpets, and when they played, the sound ricocheted back and forth on the walls at amazing volume. They played many many numbers while we drank beer and tequila.

The cooks moved the barbeque inside, too, to a covered courtyard below us. As the band played, the smoke from the fire filled our room. Everyone tried to ignore it until it got too thick to breathe. At last somebody found a fan, opened the windows and managed to clear it out..

El Presidente, who fell off his horse recently and is walking with a cane, gave a short emotional speech, thanking the Mission to Mexico crew and everybody back in Washington for their generosity. Team members were called to the front one by one and draped with a blue sash fastened at the bottom with a tiny sombrero.

The Mission’s plan had been to spend the weekend delivering equipment to the nearby towns of Autlan, El Limon and El Grullo. But because all the equipment is tied up in customs in Guadalajara, there is nothing to deliver. We took a reconnaissance trip to the towns instead.

Autlan is the hometown of the guitarist Carlos Santana, and the fire station is located on Carlos Santana Avenue. Before going to the station to meet the firemen, we stopped in a little plaza and took pictures of ourselves standing beside a Santana guitar sculpture.

Today, Phil Michelsen and Jose plan to teach several Ayutla men how to use the pump on the fire truck. They’ll go to the river and use a hose to fill up the tank.

The Tacoma Police Department has posted the July reports for its sectors and specialty units.

Here are some highlights.

Sector 1: Officers arrested two suspects and cleared more than 40 burglary cases from the Northeast Tacoma area. Task force-level inspections were conducted on three addresses. Life safety violations were found at all three residences - one in the 1600 block of South G Street, another in the 2300 block of South L Street and a third in the 2300 block of South Grant Street. They were boarded up and posted for no occupancy.

Officers also conducted two curfew missions and wrote 18 citations for juveniles found out after curfew.

Sector 2: The owner of the Lobster Shop reported that 50 to 100 individuals had been coming onto the property between Les Davis Pier and the restaurant on Saturday nights. The people drink, urinate and vandalize the property. Officers planned to monitor the location.

The city sent a letter to the owners of Jazzbones after the club was found to be in violation of the new noise ordinance. Building inspectors found the club was in violation of the "plainly audible" provision. The business had 18 days to submit a plan of action. A failure to do so means a $250 fine.

Sector 3: Gang activity continued to plague the 47th Street Corridor. There have been ongoing reports of suspected gang members congregating in the area.

"The community liaison officers are working with the gang unit, transit officers, mall security, local business owners and school officials to reduce gang activity in the area overall," the report states.

Sector 4: Reports of prostitution along Pacific Avenue are down more than 50 percent from 2007 to 2008. Officers started hitting the southern end of Pacific Avenue in 2007 with special emphasis missions.

Gang unit: The team made 96 arrests and seized three guns, $800 cash and one car during July. They also helped patrol officers arrest a 13-year-old suspected gang member on suspicion of possession of a stolen car. The same teen was arrested recently for organized retail theft.

Three people were arrested for unlawful drug possession. In their vehicle, officers found a stolen .38-caliber revolver in the truck.

Based on a tip to Crack hotline, the unit conducted emphasis patrols in the 500 block of South 34th Street and arrested three. They also found a loaded gun.

K-9 unit: A police dog and his handler arrested a person in a stolen vehicle. It was Oscar's first capture.

Police dog Garo and his handler caught several people suspected of burglarizing a school.

Traffic unit: Traffic officers issued 793 citations and infractions during July. Drivers in Sector 1 received the most with 231.

In addition, 3,237 citations were issued from the red light camera program.

Marine Services unit: The Metro dive team went out to Fort Lewis and recovered a stolen car out of Seattle from Chambers Lake.

The dive team also went to Gig Harbor for a capsized boat with three people in the water. the Three were safely recovered.

Hello, blog fans. I'm finally sharing some photos of mine from Mission to Mexico "The Sequel" after two days of computer transmission issues. Things aren't always as easy in a foreign country.

Consequently, they are badly out of sequence, particularly in conjunction with Rob's story entries.
He's an early riser and he tends to post before me, so please scroll down to read all of his latest bloggings.

My first photo is of Mst. Sgt. Scott Terra guiding the fire engine off the massive C-17 after it and pallets of cargo were flown from McChord Air Force Base to Guadalajara, Mexico, Friday, September 19, 2008.

The sight of a giant C-17, the first to land at Guadalajara International in years, drew airport personnel like moths to a flame, Friday, September 19, 2008.

Smiles were wide after the C-17 landed with its precious cargo - a donated fire truck bound for Ayutla. From left: Ayutla vice mayor Javier Gomez, mayor Manuel Gomez, Mst. Sgt. Scott Terra, Ayutla official Jose Luis Lopez and Jose Lopez of Gig Harbor, Friday, September 19, 2008.

As so often happens in Mexico, bureaucracy reared its convoluted head. First, Guadalajara International Airport officials balked at letting the Missioon to Mexico team greet the C-17 arrival on the tarmac despite months of prior arrangements. Then, the plane was three hours late. Here, members of the Mexican press complain to Jose Lopez about their lack of access, Friday, September 19, 2008.

Gig Harbor restauranteur Jose Lopez, center, discusses logistics with Ayutla officials Jose Luis Pelayo and Juan Ignacio Moreno over breakfast. At right is Jeff Anderson, one of the Puget Sound volunteers who flew down to lend assistance, Friday, September 19, 2008.

Day One of our journey. We got stuck with other motorists wait for a road to be cleared of debris following a rock slide after several days of heavy rain. The road is one of the few routes from Puerto Vallarto to Ayutla and the surrounding hillsides are unstable to say the least, Friday, September 19, 2008.

Took off for Guadalajara at 10 a.m., feeling fine after scrambled eggs at the open-air café next to the hotel and good coffee. Bill Garrison brought a bag of Starbucks and Phil Michelsen brought a French press.

We traveled in a caravan of three vehicles, the two rental vans and the mayor of Ayutla’s Ford SUV. With the mayor and his three staff people, there are 12 of us.

Got to Guadalajara at about noon and managed to stay together for the hour’s drive through crazy traffic to the airport.

Security was tight there because of the killings last week in Morelia, where somebody threw grenades into a festival crowd. At first it looks as if we won’t be allowed get out onto the runway to meet the C-17 when it lands with the fire truck. After several hours of animated discussions with authorities, Ed Troyer and Jose Lopez manage to get permission.

We miss the actual landing, but get to the plane before the McChord crew unloads. The fire truck is nearly 40 feet long but looks like a toy coming off the C-17.

Handshakes and back slapping all around when the truck and the 12 pallets of donated supplies are on the ground.

That turned out to be the easy part. Customs is a nightmare. Troyer and Lopez have hundreds of pages of paperwork, prepared over the past two years, but apparently not everything they need.

The negotiations continue for five hours. At last the Mexican authorities agree to let the truck go, but not the 12 pallets of equipment. That will have to wait until Monday at the earliest. It was dark by the time we finally left the airport. Phil was worried about driving the fire truck through Guadalajara traffic and the narrow highway back to Ayutla at night even though he spent 22 years driving with the Seattle Fire Department.

“That thing drives like a pig,” he said. “It really does. It’s got no power steering and takes a half a block to turn.”

Michelsen looks like he’s in shock by the time we finally pull into Ayutla at 1:30 a.m., tired from struggling to keep the big rig on the road and near misses with passing truck and trailer rigs.

It’s so late Ayutla is asleep when we pull into town. We park the truck in front of the police station. The mayor produces extra fine tequila, aged 10 years and we find the strength for a congratulations party that lasts until 4 a.m.

We had planned to spend the next three days delivering the stuff on the pallets to nearby villages. Now, with all of it still stuck at the airport, plans will have to change.
Garrison is worried he won’t get his 26 Pierce County computers to his village, San Pancho, by Tuesday when he has to fly back home. Last time this happened, he said, they were stuck in customs for four months.
“Boy, it’s hard giving stuff away in Mexico,” he said. “It’s a great country and I love it, but the bureaucracy makes me nuts.”

(From Rob Carson in Mexico)

It’s always something.

This time it’s paperwork. Actually, the lack of it.

We made it to Guadalajara and the airport where a McChord-based C-17 landed with its tons of donations - including a fire engine. It drew attention - lots of it - and visits by local brass.

Which was fine, except none of them had the secret password that would clear the C-17’s cargo through customs. The firetruck made it, but the computers and the rest of it is stuck until Monday when the customs office in Mexico City opens and gives the necessary approval.

At this hour, the plan is to drive the fire engine to Ayutla either tonight or early Saturday and make at least one delivery.

Who knows after that.

Attorney's for Semaj Booker will begin call their witnesses next week in an on-going hearing to determine whether the elementary school student knew it was wrong when he broke into a Tacoma apartment in July.

Prosecutors finished calling their witnesses Thursday, Lights & Sirens has learned.

Judge Frank Cuthbertson may issue his decision on the boy's capacity next week, which will determine whether Semaj will be prosecuted in the break-in.

The upcoming week is National Child Passenger Safety Week.

As part of the effort to increase awareness, there will be a free car seat checkup at the Tacoma Goodwill, 3121 S. 38th St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (i.e. tomorrow).

No appointment is needed.

If you can't make it, go to this web site to find a trained technician in the area that can help you install your child safety seats.

Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of a 21-year-old man charged in a deadly street racing crash.

Pierce County prosecutors have charged Richard Frazer with vehicular homicide in the Oct. 15, 2007, death of Cameron Harbin.

Harbin, 19, and Frazer started an impromptu street race and drove down 128th Street East at speeds exceeding 100 mph the night of Oct. 15, 2007.

Harbin lost control, crashed his vehicle and died at the scene.

Frazer fled. The two men were strangers.

Frazer was supposed to appear in court Thursday but did not. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Frazer is white, 5 feet 5 and weighs 160 pounds. He has light brown hair and brown eyes. He was most recently living in the Puyallup area, Crime Stoppers reported.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959. Callers may remain anonymous.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information in the case.

From the e-mail inbox:

Last evening around 5pm I was in a huge backup of traffic and a long wait for some type of accident that happened on Pioneer Way just west of Waller Road. I couldn't tell what happened but there was a Pierce Co Sheriff car still there; had seen a fire truck leave and an ambulance leave with red lights and sirens. I havent seen anything in your column or elsewhere and was wondering what happened.....do you have any info on this?

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department filed the following report with Lights & Sirens.

On Thursday at 4:26 p.m., a motorcyclist was injured after his motorcycle rear-ended a pickup truck in the 2600 block of Pioneer Way. Pioneer Way was closed for approximately 30 minutes to allow for emergency personnel to provide medical aid to the injured rider.

Puyallup police and Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers have released surveillance images of a man who robbed a downtown bank branch Thursday in hopes of identifying him.

The man walked into U.S. Bank, 302 S. Meridian St., about 5:30 p.m. Thursday. He handed the teller a note that said he had a bomb, police reported. It also demanded cash.

The man left the bank and was last seen on foot headed south on Meridian.

The robber is described as white, early 20s, 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 10 and weighing 160 to 170 pounds.

He wore blue jeans, tennis shoes, a dark baseball hat and a brown T-shirt with a large white skull on the front. He was carrying a dark-colored backpack.

Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and charges filed in the case. Callers may remain anonymous.

Reach Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959.

Submitted to Lights & Sirens from News Tribune reporter Kris Sherman.

The Peninsula School District community is sending condolences to the family of Seth Ryan Grigar, who died Wednesday when his 1990s Subaru Legacy crashed into the former Harbor Inn building in Gig Harbor.

Grigar's mother, Janice, is a speech and language therapist at Harbor Heights Elementary School. Grigar, 25, was a graduate of Gig Harbor High School.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Witnesses said his car was traveling at 70 to 100 mph when it flew through a three-way stop and crashed at about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Peninsula schools superintendent Terry Bouck released this statement this morning: "The Peninsula School District and Harbor Heights staff have sent their thoughts and support to the family and friends."

"...we also want to respect the family's privacy as they cope with these difficult times," he said.

The family has chosen not to comment on the accident.

The book on Anthony Casper Dias (seen here) has now been closed.

The convicted serial rapist pleaded guilty this morning to the King County charges stemming from this 2005 brutal crime spree.

He was previously convicted by a jury in Pierce County and sentenced to 227 years in prison.

A reader wanted to share this information on a scam:

Just this past week three people in the Gig Harbor area have received this sort of phone call.

"Hi mom this is your son, I am in Canada. Came up for a wedding, had too much to drink and am in jail."

That was my phone call. My friend's mother believed the caller and wired $6,000 to Canada per his instructions. After she completed the wire she called a family member who felt it was a scam and was able to cancel the wire in time.

She was lucky, but I am afraid there are a few that probably aren't that lucky and that makes it worth their effort.

Please be aware.

We frequently get asked about funeral/memorial service information for people we write about.

This week we've written about the tragic death of Seth Grigar, who was killed Wednesday when his station wagon slammed into the old Harbor Inn Restaurant in downtown Gig Harbor.

Seth's obituary appeared in today's paper and included information about his services.

You can find that obituary here.

Big day yesterday. We had to be at SeaTac so early we basically got no sleep Wednesday night. Bill Garrison, the chief investigator for the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office, met us at the Puerto Vallarta airport in a big old Dodge “Mexivan” with no rear seats. He has a house nearby and came down a day early. All eight of us piled in, sweating, with luggage and gear. Bill had thoughtfully brought along a fully stocked ice chest.

We rented another van at a little place called Gecko Rental and headed over the coast range for Ayutla. The plan was to stay the night in Ayutla, then get an early start for Guadalajara Friday morning so we could meet the C-17 carrying the fire truck and all the donated equipment.

What is normally a three-hour drive over the mountains turned into six because of the damage done to the road during the rainy season. Rocks all over the road and slick patches of wet clay over steep drop-offs. Got stopped for a half hour while scrapers and bulldozers cleared a recent avalanche. Dodged dogs, cats, cattle, jackrabbits and a skunk on the way down from the pass.

Pulled into Ayutla at 11:04 p.m., tired. Saw the ambulance we brought down last year parked by the police station and greeted it like an old friend. It looks good, all clean and shiny.

Fell into bed at the funky old Hotel Principal on the central plaza, after collecting sweet smelling line-dried towels and water pitchers from the old man and wife who run the place, who remembered us from last year.

Two lanes of southound Interstate 5 were closed for about 30 minutes this morning because of a collision.

The lanes reopened at 5:35 a.m., the state DOT reported.

The collision blocked the two left lanes of southbound I-5 at Bridgeport Way in Lakewood at 5:05 a.m.

Ouch. Somebody's going to have some explaining to do after opening fire on this State Patrol car.

From all reports, some of the local group that heading back down to Mexico to deliver a fire truck, medical supplies and other equipment is in route.

Our reporter and photographer flew out today.

Follow the trip here.

In addition, the volunteers behind the effort have set up a web site to provide information about the trips, their fundraisers, etc. They've set up a blog for this, though as of yet, there are no dispatches.

That site is here.

The Air Force flight will be taking off with all the equipment in the morning from McChord.

I'll be at the sentencing hearing this morning for Tacoma lawyer Robert Denomy, who pleaded guilty earlier this week to charges in connection with a 2006 boating accident.

The driver who was killed Wednesday when his car crashed into a downtown Gig Harbor building has been identified.

The capacity hearing for Semaj Booker, Pierce County's well-known runaway, continues today.

In other news ...

For those of you who follow death penalty cases, the Seattle Times has a story this morning about the rejection of the latest appeal for the state's longest serving inmate on death row.

A donation account has been set up for Ramoncito Barro’s family. Donations to the Ramoncito Barro Memorial Account at any Columbia Bank branch.

A beaming Jose Lopez arrives at McChord Air Force Base to help prepare a donated fire truck for its transport to his hometown of Ayutla, Mexico, Monday, September 15, 2008. (Drew Perine/The News Tribune)

The 91-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting one of his caregivers will make his first court appearance today.

Charges have not yet been filed in the case but that could happen later today.

He's the oldest homicide suspect that I've covered in my 10 years at The News Tribune.

The victim was identified today by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.

Here's today's story about the homicide.

UPDATE: A charge of second-degree murder has been filed against Joe C. Elder.

Read more here.

UPDATE 2: Joe Elder appeared in court today. He was dressed in an orange jail uniform and was wheeled into the courtroom in a wheel chair.

He listened to the proceedings through a voice amplification device.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle found probable cause to charge Elder with second-degree murder. He also ordered him to undergo a 15-day competency evaluation at Western State Hospital.

Elder was not arraigned today. That will occur if he's found competent to proceed.

A 19-year-old man riding a scooter crashed into a parked car in the 600 block of North State Street early today.

The man suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries, Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said.

The incident occurred about 2:40 a.m.

The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Officers were investigating whether alcohol was involved, Fulghum said.

We have two reporters out at the scene of the deadly car crash into the former Harbor Inn Restaurant in downtown Gig Harbor this morning.

Read the latest version of the story here.

Here's the location.

UPDATE:

The man who was killed has been identified as a 26-year-old Gig Harbor-area resident.

His name has not yet been released.

He was driving a Subaru stationwagon.

Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said, "There's no indication of anything happening other than him driving down the road."

The Associated Ministries will hold a brief, spiritual ceremony Wednesday for a Sumner father who was hit and killed by a passing car last week.

The Moment of Blessing ceremony for John McRae III, 51, begins at 2 p.m. in the 2100 block of East Main Street. McRae was riding his bicycle along the street Sept. 8 when he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver.

The suspected car - a Cadillac STS - never stopped. It was impounded the next day after it'd been abandoned on a Puyallup street.

The suspected driver, Blair Jensen, turned himself into authorities Friday. Prosecutors charged him today with vehicular homicide and failure to remain at the scene of an injury accident. The young man is scheduled to make his first court appearance this afternoon.

The Associated Ministries developed the Moment of Blessings several years ago as a way to help heal the families of homicide victims and the communities where the crimes took place.

Every event is open to the public.

Two teenagers were injured Monday morning in the crash that blocked Meridian at 204th Street East for about 45 minutes.

According to a memo from the Washington State Patrol, a 17-year-old boy was driving a Pontiac Grand Am north on Meridian. He was turning left onto 204th Street East and had the right of way.

A semi-truck was going southbound on Meridian and tried to avoid the Pontiac but hit it just after 7 a.m.. The crash blocked two lanes, the State Patrol reported.

The 17-year-old boy and his 14-year-old passenger were injured and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, according to the State Patrol.

The 34-year-old truck driver was not injured.

The governor has ordered the flags at all state facilities to be lowered to half-staff today in honor of a fallen Marine from Bothell.

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Nicholas A. Madrazo was killed Sept. 9 during action in Parwan province, Afghanistan.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has ordered flags to be lowered until sunset today or first thing Wednesday morning.

The man battling cancer who was mauled by puppies last month has died.

Michael Warner, 55, died Friday in a Shelton nursing home, the Mason County Cornor's Office reported today. An autopsy was planned this afternoon.

Two women, the man's daughter and his caretaker, were arrested last month after Warner was mauled inside his home. He was dropped off at Tacoma General Hospital, where doctors discovered his injuries and called the police.

After the incident, 27 dogs were taken from the home in the 12100 block of Sixth Avenue East.

The investigation into what happened was continuing, Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said today.

No charges have been filed.

Spanaway and Parkland residents are invited to learn more about the criminal justice community and the Pierce County Sheriff's Department at an upcoming citizens' academy.

The academy, which is free, begins Sept. 24. The community academy class will meet once a week, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., at the Pierce Transit Center on South 96th Street.

The class is limited to the first 30 people who sign up. Pre-registration is a must.

To apply, click here. Participants must be at least 16 and residents of Pierce County. The deadline to submit applications is Friday.

During the academy, participants learn about different aspects of the Sheriff's Department and meet members of the agency. They also take field trips to the 911 communications center, forensics unit, Pierce County Jail and the firing range.

Tacoma police are searching for a gunman who shot two young men late Saturday, critically injuring one.

The victims and two others were hanging out at East 56th Street and Portland Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said.

A car slowly drove by. A man leaned out the passenger side window and fired off several rounds, Fulghum said.

The four on the street tried to take cover. A man in his early 20s was struck in the head and foot. A teenager was hit in the back and foot, Fulghum said.

The car took off. The victims were taken to a local hospital.

The man who was struck in the head was critically injured but was expected to survive, Fulghum said. The other victim's injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

Tacoma police have made no arrests in the case. The suspect's car was described only as a smaller, dark-colored sedan, Fulghum said.

Detectives were investigating whether the drive-by shooting was gang motivated.

A man wanted in a string of robberies at South King County stores has been arrested.

Renton police arrested a suspect in the case and located a vehicle over the weekend, Federal Way police reported this morning.

UPDATE:

Renton police received a tip about the possible identity of the robber and his location after surveillance photographs and information about the incidents was released to the media Friday afternoon.

Renton investigators located the suspect Saturday afternoon.

Before the arrest, the same robber was believed to have struck a 76 gas station at 2100 Southwest 356th Street at 6 a.m. Saturday, Federal Way police reported.

A crash involving a car and a logging truck blocked all lanes of southbound State Route 161 at 204th Street this morning.

The crash blocked the roadway for about 45 minutes and was cleared up at 8:11 a.m., the state Department of Transportation reported.

The accident was reported at 7:30 a.m.

That's right.

We'll be at the Puyallup Fair on Monday as part of The News Tribune's Meet Us at the Fair! day.

Adam and I will be manning the booth from 2 to 3 p.m. so if you're at the fair, stop on by and say hi. Please. Pretty please. The booth is located near the Blue Gate.

We'll also be hosting a live chat from the fairgrounds. You can submit questions about what we do and how we gather information in advance here.

More news out of Puyallup police today ...

Investigators arrested two men and recovered $17,000 in cash and 42 weapons - including one that was stolen - as part of an ongoing drug investigation.

The men were arrested early Friday after a reverse cocaine buy, Puyallup police Cmdr. Bryan Jeter said. In a reverse buy, undercover officers are selling the drugs and the suspects are buying.

The men were arrested after the buy. The arrest led investigators to a house in the 11900 block of 122nd Street East, Jeter said. After getting consent to search the house, investigators found the cash, guns and two safes that the drug dogs keyed on.

"The narcotics drugs were very interested in them," Jeter said.

Investigators were waiting to open the safes to see what's inside.

Officers also found what appeared to be powered cocaine and other drug paraphernalia.

Investigators suspect the two men have been dealing powder cocaine in the city.

The men were booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of unlawful possession of a drug possession with an intent to deliver and unlawful possession of a firearm.

(Photos are courtesy of Puyallup P.D.)

Several south King County law enforcement agencies are asking for the public's help in identifying a man suspected in at least 10 robberies in recent weeks.

Federal Way police released photographs of the robber (pictured here) today in an effort to identify him and halt the robberies.

The robberies have occurred in Federal Way, Auburn, Renton, Kent and Des Moines. During each, the robber entered the store, pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded the employee open the cash register, police reported.

The robber either grabbed the money or had the clerk hand it to him. He then took off in a car.

The robber has struck between 4 and 8 a.m., mostly on Saturdays and Thursdays. He's also hit once each on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He targets gas station convenience stores or 7-Eleven outlets.

Detectives believe the robber is likely to strike again soon.

The bandit is described as a white man, 20 to 30 years old and 5 feet 10 to 6 feet tall. He has a thin build and his short blond hair is in styled in a military-type cut. He has used a T-shirt to cover his face. He's used a black handgun and six to seven inch barrel shotgun.

He's been seen in a late 1980s to early 1990s light blue, four-door sedan, possibly a Toyota Corolla, with mismatched wheel covers and rims. Part of the license plate reads RNN.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

See below for more photos.

=> Read more!

Puyallup police have arrested a man suspected of robbing a bank branch in the city last week.

Investigators were tipped to the man's identity after a surveillance photograph of the bandit was released to the media Monday, the department reported today.

The bank robbery occurred Sept. 4. The man walked into Key Bank, 511 River Road, and handed the teller a note demanding cash. After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, he fled the bank.

Puyallup police officers and detectives surrounded the suspect's house in rural Sumner on Thursday. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of robbery, police reported.

From inside the home, investigators found several guns and a small marijuana grow operation.

The man wanted on suspicion of hitting and killing a bicyclist, then fleeing the scene Monday night in Puyallup has turned himself in.

The 23-year-old man went into the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department’s headquarters in Tacoma about noon, the Puyallup Police Department reported.

Puyallup police had been looking for the man in connection with the deadly accident Monday night. They had released his picture to the media.

John McRae III, a 51-year-old Sumner father of three, was riding his bicycle in the 2100 block of East Main Street when he was struck and killed. The car didn’t stop.

Puyallup police impounded the car, which had been found abandoned along a street, the next day.

UPDATE: McRae's family released a statement this afternoon.

We the family of John “Chip” Murrell McRae III, would like to thank all the members of law enforcement, the news media and the general public for their tremendous help and support during this very difficult time. We are relieved to hear the news of the suspect being taken into custody and fully place our trust in the judicial system.

At this time, we would like to respectfully request privacy for family and friends, as the grieving process continues to be exceptionally painful and heartbreaking, in the loss of a great husband, father, son, brother and friend.

Lui Kit Wong/The News Tribune

Tacoma firefighters and police officers are on the scene of a gas line rupture in the 3500 block of South Tacoma Way, according to scanner chatter.

All roads are blocked to the area.

It sounds like there are several fire rigs and patrol cars on the scene to block off traffic. That includes a portion of South Tacoma Way.

Evacuations also are being conducted.

A man was shot in the leg early today in a driveby shooting on Portland Avenue.

The incident occurred just after midnight, Tacoma police reported.

The victim was standing by himself in the 4600 block of Portland Avenue when a black Chevy Suburban drove by.

Shots rang out, police reported.

The man was struck once in the leg. His injuries were not considered life threatening.

No arrests were reported.

The investigation was continuing.

Our news partners at KIRO-TV are reporting some riders of the Extreme Scream at the Puyallup Fair thought they were in danger after an attendant unbuckled the riders' belts before they shot up into the air.

A Fair spokeswoman said the belt that was unfastened played no part of keeping riders from flying off into space:

"The shoulder harness really keeps you in place, that measuring belt has nothing to do with safety or holding you in place," said fair representative Karen LaFlamme.

For those unfamiliar with the ride:

Read the high court's order by clicking here.

Associated Ministries will hold a Moment of Blessing ceremony for a young man gunned down in a South End apartment last week.

The brief, spiritual ceremony for for Joshua Thomas Gatbunton, 20, begins at 3 p.m. Friday. It will be held at the apartment building where he was killed, located at 9318 S. Steele, Bldg. K.

Gatbunton and a friend were shot early Sept. 3 by two gunmen in the apartment. Gatbunton, who was staying with his friend, died of his injuries. The friend was seriously injured.

Tacoma police have said robbery might have been a motive. No arrests have been made. A reward is being offered for information.

Associated Ministries developed the Moment of Blessing ceremonies as a way to help the community heal after a homicide. The events are intended to provide support for the victim’s friends and family members and the community where the crime happened.

The events are open to the public.

Hecht	Armijo

There will be a new judge on Pierce County's Superior Court bench in January.

Attorney Michael Hecht has defeated incumbent Sergio Armijo, according to the final tally from August's primary election. Hecht received 65,684 votes to Armijo's 62,696, according to the Pierce County elections office.

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed certified the election results this week.

Pursuant to state law, Hecht will take office on the second Monday in January.

Armijo served on the court for 15 years.

He was the only one of 22 Superior Court judges to draw an opponent this year. Hecht, who ran unsuccessfully against Armijo in 2004, made an issue of the incumbent's poor showing in a recent Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association rating of local judges.

In that survey, Armijo received the lowest grade among his peers in legal ability and integrity.

J. Kelley Arnold will hang up his robes for good next year after more than a quarter century as a judge in Pierce County, the last 14 on the federal bench.

The U.S. District Court in Tacoma announced Arnold's retirement on its Web site recently.

A 1961 graduate of the University of Idaho Law School, Arnold was appointed to the Superior Court bench in 1982 by Gov. John Spellman. He was re-elected three times.

He became a federal magistrate judge in 1994, beating out several dozen candidates for the position.

His last day on the job will be March 3, according to the announcement.

Law enforcement officers in Pierce and Kitsap counties arrested 21 drivers last week on suspicion of drunken driving during a joint emphasis patrol.

Four other drivers were arrested on suspicion of drug-related charges last Friday.

Twenty-four officers from 11 Pierce County agencies worked roadways in Fife, University Place, Tacoma, Gig Harbor and Fircrest. The roads were selected because of they have a high number of alcohol-related crashes, the Tacoma-Pierce County DUI Task Force reported.

In Kitsap County, officers arrested four suspected drunken drivers, including one also suspected of hitting a Washington State Patrol trooper's patrol car and leaving the scene, the task force reported. The trooper was making a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in Lakewood at the time. Officers later caught the driver.

The activity was part of the second Bridge to Bridge emphasis patrol, which was sponsored by the Kitsap County Traffic Safety Task Force and the Tacoma Pierce County DUI Task Force.

In the battle of these sexes, Jessica Marie Myron is accused of arming herself with a cordless drill.

According to first-degree assault charges filed in Pierce County Superiour Court on Wednesday:

On Monday, Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Connor responded to a domestic violence call in the 7800 block of 42nd Street Court Northwest.

Connor found Jason Mitchell, who had gauze taped over the left side of his upper chest and blood on his chest and stomach.

Mitchell reported he tried to stop his wife, Myron, from driving drunk and she came at him with a cordless drill.

Mitchell advised that MYRON approached him with the drill and drilled a hole in his chest with it before he could stop her from assaulting him... According to Connor, there was blood and tissue on the tip of the drill bit. Connor described the injury to Mitchell’s chest as a “dime sized hole” in his chest. Mitchell was later treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital where it was determined that the bit did not penetrate the chest cavity but did penetrate the skin and muscle of Mitchell’s chest.

(Photo by tanakawho.)

Dark horse Pierce County Sheriff candidate Robert "The Traveller" Hill is already looking beyond November. State records show he filed paperwork on Aug. 18 to run for the state senate (27th legislative district)... in 2012!

In doing so, Hill became first candidate in the state to throw his hat into the ring for any race taking place four years from now.

It took Tacoma firefighters about 20 minutes to get a house fire under control in the 1120 block of East 69th Street this afternoon, fire spokeswoman Jolene Davis said.

The 1:20 p.m. fire was mainly confined to a bedroom and no one was injured, she said.

Law enforcement officers arrested 254 suspected drunken drivers in Pierce County during a recent enforcement patrol.

Statewide, 1,797 drivers were arrested on suspicion of drunken driving during the Drive Hammered-Get Nailed emphasis, according to statistics released today.

The emphasis patrols took place between Aug. 15 and Sept. 1.

The number of drunken drivers arrested in Pierce County was up from 2007, when 243 drivers were nabbed, and 2006, when 177 were arrested.

For this year's emphasis, Tacoma police arrested 50 impaired drivers, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department arrested 19, Puyallup police arrested 32 and the Steilacoom Department of Public Safety arrested six.

The Washington State Traffic Safety Commission also reports that traffic deaths are down so far this year.

There have been 319 deaths through Sept. 2. That's down from 364 through Sept. 2, 2007, and 378 through Sept. 2, 2006.

Thursday marks the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

Here is information about three local events to honor those who were killed.

* The Fort Lewis community will start the day with a flag raising ceremony at 6:30 a.m. in front of the I Corps Headquarters. It will include an invocation, color guard formation and remarks.

There will be a Patriot Day Remembrance Service at noon in the main post chapel.

* Members of the 4-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team will be talking about their 15-month deployment to Iraq at 7 a.m. at Burs Restaurant, 151 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W.

The City of Lakewood encourages residents to attend the presentation to commemorate Patriot Day.

* The Tacoma Fire Department will host a remembrance ceremony Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Firefighter's Memorial, 3301 Ruston Way.

The program includes speeches from Mayor Bill Baarsma, Tacoma Fire Chief Ron Stephens and New York City firefighter Colin Sterr, who was at the World Trade Center the day of the attacks. Gov. Chris Gregoire also will be in attendance.

A moment of silence will be observed.

* At the Puyallup Fair, the public can attend a memorial concert sponsored by the Puyallup Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The concert is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on the Showplace Stage. Among other performers, the concert will feature a 50-member choir and concert pianist Jee Wong.

During the "America Remembers" concert, several public service officers will be honored for their "outstanding service" in 2008 and presented with gift certificates.

The honorees are:

Puyallup Police Officer Mark Ketter

Pierce County Detective Sergeant Todd Karr

Puyallup Firefighter/Paramedic Eric McNealley

Pierce County Firefighter Bryan Denman

Sailor - Rozalia Jones

WW II Veteran Johnny Evans

In addition, Gregoire has ordered that flags at all state buildings be lowered to half-staff for Patriot Day.

Here's the press release from the Kent Fire Department on an apartment fire this afternoon that displaced two people. No injuries were reported.

KENT, WA – September 10, 2008 – Early this afternoon Kent Fire Department units responded to a fire alarm at the Signature Pointe Apartments in downtown Kent. Initial information received by the dispatcher reported smoke and flames were visible from a second floor window and the building was being evacuated. The first arriving Kent Fire Department units found a small, smoky fire in an upstairs bedroom and was able to quickly extinguish the fire. The resident, a 25 year male, who was home at the time of the fire said he was downstairs smelled smoke and went upstairs to investigate. He found smoke in the upstairs hallway and when he opened his bedroom door he found thick dark smoke had filled his room. At that point he left the building.

The cause of the fire was determined to be an over-heated aquarium heater/pump. Smoke and heat damage to the apartment was limited to the upstairs areas. No injuries to the resident or firefighters. Two residents were displaced as a result of the fire and will stay with family locally while the apartment is being repaired.

The DEA sent out the following release about a coordinated marijuana operation in King County:

(Seattle) –Law enforcement officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Kent, Auburn, Renton, Tukwila and Port of Seattle Police Departments announced that early this morning, federal agents and local authorities executed 13 search warrants on indoor marijuana grow operations in King County. Today’s activities are part of the collaborative effort by law enforcement in ‘Operation Green Reaper’, targeting the command and control components of the Puget Sound’s indoor marijuana grow organizations.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) David Dongilli stated, “It is important for the public to know how dangerous indoor marijuana cultivation is to our community. These drug trafficking organizations are concealing their illegal activities in the very heart of many of our neighborhoods. Drug traffickers are buying or leasing suburban homes and illegally modifying them, usually with jury-rigged electrical wiring and extensive internal irrigation systems, and utilizing substantial amounts of toxic chemicals and fertilizers (which are ultimately either dumped or wind up as byproducts in the municipal sewer and water systems) in order to grow their marijuana.”

ASAC Dongilli further stated, “These homes are more readily prone to fires and the mold contamination produced from the cultivation process poses significant health and safety concerns to the community. The unfortunate end result is that these drug dealers collect huge illicit profits and our community banks and other mortgage holders are left with virtually uninhabitable and foreclosed homes.”

In conjunction with these raids, law enforcement seized 4,578 marijuana plants, three weapons to include an assault rifle and a shotgun, approximately $50,000.00 in United States Currency, 20 vehicles and have taken 20 subjects into custody.

Today’s efforts were supported by the Washington State Patrol, Seattle Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, Valley SWAT and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Tacoma detectives are asking for the public's help in finding the gunmen who shot two men - killing one of them - in a South End apartment last week.

Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is now offering a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest and charges filed in the deadly shooting.

Witnesses heard two people enter an apartment in the Aladdin Camelot Apartments, located in the 2100 block of South 90th Street, about 2:40 a.m. Sept. 3.

The two shouted at the victims moments before several shots were fired, police reported.

Josh Gatbunton, 20, was killed. Gatbunton (pictured here) been staying at the apartment of his friend, who was seriously injured in the shooting.

The gunmen have been described as two Asian men in the late teens to early 20s, police reported.

Investigators have said robbery might have been the motive.

Detectives ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959. Callers may remain anonymous.

Tips also can be sent to TPD online here.

Detectives are working to identify a man who robbed the Union Bank of California branch in downtown Tacoma this week.

Investigators released surveillance images from the bank's security cameras on Wednesday in an effort to identify the man.

Detectives report the man (pictured here) walked into Union Bank of California, 1501 Commerce St., just before 12:45 p.m. Monday.

He handed the teller a robbery note that demanded cash. He did not show a weapon, police reported.

After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, the man left the bank and was last seen on Commerce Street.

The robber is described as a light-skinned man, possibly Hispanic, and 25 to 30 years old, with a thin build. He had a goatee. He wore a dark-colored baseball hat and white shoes with a black stripe.

Detectives reviewed the bank's surveillance footage and released images to the media.

Anyone with information is asked to call Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959 or submit an anonymous tip to the Tacoma Police Department here.

Investigators are hoping this burglary won't be too hard to solve.

Tacoma police detectives released surveillance images today of a man suspected of burglarizing a computer store last month.

A security camera captured the man's face as he burgled the Compucare in the 2600 block of South 38th Street about 1 a.m. Aug. 31.

Investigators believe the burglar got into the store through the ceiling. He stole several items, including video cards. He smashed the door to get out and fled.

The burglar (pictured here) is described as white, about 25 years old and 6 feet tall with a slender build. He appears to have short brown hair.

During the burglary, the man wore blue jeans, a dark blazer-style jacket and a tan-colored golfing cap.

Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and charges filed in the case. Callers may remain anonymous.

Reach Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959.

Tacoma police were investigating an traffic incident in the 8200 block of South Alaska Street.

The preliminary information is that a woman's unattended vehicle rolled and hit her. It then struck a garage, police spokesman Mark Fulghum reported.

Officers are still in route.

The injuries initially sounded minor, Fulghum said.

Here are a couple of police-related tidbits from the weekly memo of Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz"

Pit bulls Confiscated: Lakewood streets are now a bit safer after Animal Control confiscated two Pit bulls that were in violation of the City's Potentially Dangerous Dog Ordinance. After about $9,300 in fines and shelter costs, and two failed attempts at appealing the order, the owners of these two dogs would not come into compliance and continued to allow the dogs to run at large. The citizens and children in the Custer Elementary School area can now once again walk without the fear of two potentially dangerous dogs threatening them.

Officer Actions Above and Beyond the Call of Duty: Officer Vince Sivankeo went above and beyond when he was called out to a Burglary on August 8th. A young Canadian citizen came down to purchase a nostalgic car. The deal went bad, the young man drove away and in the process got into a car accident; his car was towed, and he took a taxi to a motel on South Tacoma Way. While the young man was asleep in his room, someone broke in and stole his wallet which contained all of his money and credit cards. Officer Sivankeo wanted to help this young man get home. CSO Dawn McGinnis made contact with a Lakewood Trucking company, who agreed to take the young man all the way to Canada. The young man called the next day to say he had made it home safe and sound with lessons learned and to thank LPD.

Puyallup police have found the Cadillac believed to be involved in Monday's deadly hit-and-run crash on East Main.

Bicyclist John McRae III, a 51-year-old father, was killed. His family has requested not to be contacted by the media. However, they authorized that a picture of him be released through the Puyallup Police Department. That picture, which comes from his driver's license, is left.

Also, Puyallup police released a photo of the damaged Cadillac. It is below.

Investigators are searching for the driver and hope he contacts detectives. A warrant for his arrest has not yet been issued.

The News Tribune is not naming the suspect at this time.

Investigators also were seeking warrants to search the car.

The investigation was continuing.

Pierce County prosecutors were calling witnesses today in the case of State v. Omar Calhoun.

Calhoun and his girlfriend, Marita Wilson, were arrested two years ago and charged with multiple counts of identity theft and forgery.

The two allegedly persuaded high school students and other young people to sell them their ATM cards and PINs, which they then used to make lots of bogus withdrawals.

Authorities contend the pair and others stole as much as $1 million in the scam, which prosecutors allege Calhoun continued to run after he was jailed.

Calhoun suffered a setback last week when Wilson copped a plea in exchange for testifying against him. She's expected to be sentenced after she gives her testimony.

The trial could go on for a couple of weeks.

Following is a story we wrote about the case back in the day:

=> Read more!

Some of you may recall that back on June 1 we ran a package of stories about the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association's performance evaluation of the 22 Superior Court judges.

The bar association asked its members to rate the judges on numerous abilities and to comment about how they think the judges are doing.

The judges didn't much care for the fact that the association made those comments public and complained during late spring that publishing the sometimes negative thoughts of the lawyers was unfair and counterproductive.

Apparently, they haven't stopped complaining.

A column published in the September edition of the The Bar News reports that six judges (whose names were not reported) continued to assail the bar about its decision at the association's July board of directors meeting.

"The Ear" reported that "the proverbial stuff hit the fan."

"Why, you ask? Because no one asked the judges if it was OK to publish the enchilada before the bar did it, that's why," the column's anonymous author penned. "As a result, the bar violated who knows how many RPCs, JPCs, Canons of Good Lawyering, English Barrister rules and just plan common sense not to hack off the people who make decisions and influence money flows."

After some discussion, "The Ear" reports, the bar's board decided to take down the comments from the association's Web site after the general elections this fall.

"So if you haven't read them yet, get crackin'," "The Ear" suggests.

Frankly, there's no need to rush.

Lights & Sirens happens to know where you can view the comments even after the general election.

The TNT's still got a copy of the complete survey results – including comments – posted here, and as far as we know, we've got no plans to take it down any time soon.

We also have a searchable database of the judges' evaluations here, and it includes representative comments from the survey.

Read at your leisure.

Tacoma firefighters responded to a fire this afternoon at U.S. Oil & Refinery Co. at the Port of Tacoma.

At one point, flames were shooting 30 to 40 feet in the air and black smoke billowed from the stack, Tacoma Deputy Fire Chief Jolene Davis said.

"At one point, it looked pretty spectacular," she said.

Firefighters were called to U.S. Oil at 12:13 p.m. They worked with plant personnel on the matter.

The fire was contained to the stack.

The fire was sparked by an over pressurization. The underlying cause for the over pressurization, however, was still being investigated, Davis said.

No injuries were reported.

Tacoma firefighters dealt with a similar fire at the plant earlier this summer.

Crews were called to the plant the morning of July 7. A power surge interrupted the processing, sending fire and black smoke above the stack.

The flames could be seen throughout the area.

Today's crime, courts and criminal justice news.

Federal prosecutors have filed more charges against Weldon Marc Gilbert, the wealthy Lake Tapps pilot accused of sexually abused young boys.

Lakewood's city manager is developing two budgets. One calls for losing 11 positions in the police department.

There's more work to do at the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.

Puyallup police are investigating a deadly hit-and-run crash Monday night.

As expected (and reported here first yesterday), convicted serial killer Robert Lee Yates Jr. filed a stay of execution Monday.

The law enforcement community and others will gather this afternoon to pay tribute to slain Skagit County deputy Anne Jackson.

Jackson is one of six people killed during a shooting rampage last week in Skagit Valley.

Thousands are expected at her memorial service, which begins at 2 p.m. at the Burlington-Edison High School stadium. Students from the school will be dismissed at 11 a.m.

Our news partners, KIRO TV, will have live coverage of the event on its web site.

UPDATE: Among the local law enforcement representatives attending today's ceremony are:

* The Pierce County Sheriff's Department's Honor Guard.

* Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor.

* The Tacoma Police Department's Honor Guard.

UPDATE 2: KING 5 also will broadcasting live coverage of the memorial service on its web site.

You can read it yourself by clicking here.

Puyallup police are looking for the public's help in finding a man who robbed a Key Bank branch last week.

The man went into the branch located in the 500 block of River Road about 4 p.m. Thursday. He handed the teller a robbery note and demanded cash, police reported.

He placed the money in an envelope and walked out of the bank.

Witnesses described the bandit as a white man, 35 years old and 5 feet 9. He had a stocky build, tan complexion and unshaven facial stubble. He may have had some type of paint or construction material on his hands, police reported.

During the robbery, the bandit wore blue jeans, an orange long-sleeved T-shirt and a black-and-yellow "Caterpillar" brand baseball hat (pictured here), police reported.

Officers released surveillance images of the robber Monday.

Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and charges filed in the case. Reach Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959.

Callers may remain anonymous.

There was a semi-truck off to the side of southbound Interstate 5 near milepost 116 this morning. The truck blocked the right hand lane for most of the morning.

The incident began about 3:45 a.m., the Washington State Patrol reported.

According to troopers, the truck driver was gong south when the truck left the road and came to rest about 30 feet from the highway.

The 42-year-old driver was not injured.

A tow truck was scheduled to remove the truck about 11:30 a.m.

Michael Myers of Gene's sent out the following information earlier this weekend:

At about 9:20am this morning one of our drivers was assisting a customer releasing their vehicle from Impound. Our driver entered the office to get some paperwork and the customer came in and told him that someone had jumped into his towtruck and drove off!!! The authorities were notified right away and are searching for the vehicle. The Vehicle is describe as a International 4700 Red in color Lic# A51762Y

Here's the press release from the Washington State Liquor Control Board listing the business that sold alcohol to minors in an Aug. 22 sting.

TACOMA – On August 22, 11 businesses in Tacoma failed liquor compliance checks conducted as part of a joint enforcement effort by the Washington State Liquor Control Board and the Tacoma Police Department. Officers checked 49 businesses during the operation.

The 11 businesses were cited for selling alcohol to investigative aides working with police and liquor enforcement officers.

The Washington State Liquor Control Board and local authorities regularly conduct compliance checks of area businesses licensed to sell alcohol. These businesses include spirits, beer and wine restaurants, grocery stores, neighborhood markets, taverns, wine bars and sports/entertainment facilities. Compliance checks are proven tools to reduce the sale of alcohol to minors.

Liquor enforcement officers conduct compliance checks assisted by investigative aides. These individuals are from 17 to 20 years old. They must present their true identification if asked by a clerk. However, they may attempt to be evasive if asked their age but not asked for their I.D.

Liquor enforcement officers are empowered to issue Administrative Violation Notices to businesses that fail compliance checks. Fines or temporary license suspensions can be issued depending on the severity of the infraction or the frequency with which a business has been cited. Clerks who sell can also receive a criminal citation.

Businesses who sold to a minor on August 22:
Peter’s Grocery, 1307 S. 38th St.
EZ Mart, 3402 Pacific Ave.
Center Street Deli Mart, 3807 S. Center St.
7-12 Grocery, 4002 S. Center St.
Royal 76, 5015 Center St. (The business will receive an Administrative Violation Notice for allowing a 14-year old to sell beer and wine)
KSP Chevron, 4814 S. Center St.
Circle K Store, #8795, 4704 S. Oaks
7-Eleven, 4701 S. Oakes St.
North China Garden, 2303 6th Ave.
Club Silverstone, 739 ½ St. Helens Ave.
Main Street Grocery, 901 Martin Luther King Jr. Way

Readers Jay and Shari Peterson sent this warning along:

There was a door to door salesperson who knocked at my door at 7:30 pm in the evening, she is very savvy. She claimed she was a student from UCLA who exchanged homes with a U or W student for the summer. She is selling scholastic books for a sum of $450. She wanted to be invited into our home, and was asking for food. Luckily we did not purchase anything from her. However, she knew everyone in the neighborhoods names, she has been in the neighborhood more than once after we talked to neighbors this evening.

We confronted her after she left and was driving away (we also got her license number) and she gave us an order sheet to confirm her company. We promptly googled the company name and there is a long list of scam alerts from all over the country regarding this company, the details of each scam alert posting was identical to our experience.

Just wanted people to know they are in University Place and Tacoma. We notified the Pierce County Sheriff Department as soon as she left and gave them all of the information we were able to.

Click here to see the paperwork spelling out the date and manner of execution for serial killer Robert Lee Yates Jr.

A Pierce County judge signed the death warrant today and set an execution date of Sept. 19 for convicted serial killer Robert Lee Yates Jr.

A stay of execution request is to be filed today or Monday, Yates’ attorney said. Yates has until Aug. 1, 2009, to file his personal restraint petition, another level of appeal.

Yates, 56, had no reaction during the short hearing in a packed Pierce County Superior Court room. Several of the victims’ relatives were also present plus detectives and many security personnel.

A clean-shaven Yates wore an orange jail jumpsuit and had his hands shackled to his waist. Part of his escort included two state Department of Corrections officers, who stood behind Yates during the five-minutes hearing. Other corrections officers were in the gallery.

Yates said nothing during the hearing and spoke to his attorneys afterward.

A Pierce County jury convicted Yates of two counts of aggravated first-degree murder and sentenced him to death in 2002 for the slayings of Melinda Mercer and Connie LaFontaine Ellis.

He had previously pleaded guilty in Spokane County to killing 13 other people in a deal that took the death penalty off the table.

Pierce County prosecutors refused to agree to that deal and, after Yates’ guilty plea, brought him to Tacoma to be tried for Mercer’s and Ellis’ deaths.

After a jury sentenced Yates to death in 2002, Pierce County Superior Court Judge John McCarthy postponed signing the death warrant so Yates could appear his conviction and sentenced.

In an 8-1 decision, the state Supreme Court upheld Yates’ conviction and sentenced in September 2007. Yates appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to review his case.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge John McCarthy read the death warrant in court before signing it.

Yates is one of eight men on death row in Washington, according to the state Department of Corrections. Two of those men – Yates and Cecil Emile Davis – were convicted of their crimes in Pierce County. The last execution in Washington took place in 2001.

I will be heading over to the courthouse momentarily for Robert Yates' hearing at 11 a.m.

More about why he's back in Pierce County here.

Check back sometime after noon for an update.

In the meantime, the state Department of Corrections has information on its web site about who's on death row, why and the status of their cases. There is also a list of all the persons executed to date in the state.

Officials and family members have set the time, date and place for the memorial service for deputy Anne Jackson, one of six people killed in a shooting spree earlier this week in Skagit County.

Here's the press release from the Skagit County Sheriff's Office.

The memorial service for Skagit County Sheriff's Deputy Anne Jackson will be held Tuesday, September 9th, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. at Burlington-Edison High School, 301 N. Burlington Blvd., in Burlington, Washington. Deputy Jackson was killed in the line of duty on September 2nd, 2008 near Alger, Washington.

The Skagit County Sheriff's Office has received an outpouring of support and offers of assistance from across the Northwest and British Columbia, including other law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and the community. A large attendance is expected at the memorial service from state and public service agencies across the region.

The multi-agency Deputy Anne Jackson Memorial Planning Team will hold a press briefing on Friday, September 5th, at 11:00 a.m. The press briefing will be located at Mount Vernon Fire Department station #2, 1901 N. LaVenture Road, in Mount Vernon.

Updated information about the memorial may be found on the Skagit County website, skagitcounty.net, or by calling (360)419-7611.

Friends of Josh Gatbunton will gather tonight outside the apartment where he was killed earlier this week.

The candlelight vigil is set to begin at 8 p.m. outside the Aladdin Camelot Apartments, according to a posting on Facebook.

Gatbunton, 20, was shot and killed early Wednesday inside a friend's apartment. The friend also was shot and seriously injured.

Tacoma police are investigating. No arrests have been reported.

Here's my most recent story about the homicide investigation, which includes information about a benevolent account for Gatbunton's family.

Here's my first story.

Friends of Joshua Gatbunton’s family have set up a donation account Thursday.

Donations can be made to the Kimberly D Knoll-Ayala For Benefit of Gatbunton Family at any Washington Mutual bank branch.

Gatbunton was killed early Wednesday at a South End apartment.

No arrests have been reported in the case.

The Puyallup Tribe has received $225,000 in federal money to hire officers.

The grant award was announced today by the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Police Services. The office awarded $19.8 million to 62 law enforcement agencies so that 269 officers could be hired, according to a press release. Besides the Puyallup Tribe, the cities of Bremerton and Seattle received grant money in Washington.

The grants are intended to provide up to 75 percent of the total salary and benefits for each new officer for the next three years. That pencils out to about $75,000 each. Local money is supposed to pick up the rest.

"All jurisdictions that receive grants must retain the COPS-funded officer positions for at least one complete local budget cycle following the three-year federal funding period," the press release states. "The grants are intended to enhance the community policing capacity of local law enforcement agencies to address violent crime."

Law enforcement officers in Pierce and Kitsap counties are joining forces for a special DUI emphasis patrol Friday night.

Two teams of up to 50 officers will start their patrols at 8 p.m. They'll put a special emphasis on underage, intoxicated drivers.

This is the second annual "Bridge to Bridge DUI Emphasis Patrol." It's jointly sponsored by the Kitsap County Traffic Safety Task Force and the Tacoma-Pierce County DUI Task Force. Officers from 15 law enforcement agencies in Pierce and Kitsap counties are participating.

They'll be working areas where the most DUI fatalities and injuries have occurred in Kitsap County. In Pierce County, they'll be in Fife, Tacoma, Fircrest and University Place.

The patrol is dedicated to Jennie Mattlab. The 19-year-old Curtis High School graduate was killed in a drunken driving crash in Tacoma Feb. 20, 2007.

She was a passenger in a car that ran a red light and struck another vehicle at South 48th and M streets. The driver has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault in connection with the deadly crash.

The News Tribune's executive editor, Karen Peterson, called me this morning with a "what was that?"

She spotted eight to nine patrol cars from Gig Harbor Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff's Department and the Washington State Patrol at the corner of Wollochet Drive Northwest and East Bay Drive. There also was a backhoe, providing a little more intrigue.

Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer reported the officers were part of a traffic safety emphasis for the first days of schools. They could have been meeting at the intersection after the emphasis. (No word on what the backhoe is/was for. I am assuming it's unrelated.)

Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum reported Tuesday that the department's traffic unit also was out in force for school zone enforcement. The enforcements were planned for before AND after school.

Three young men with reported ties to the Hilltop Crips have pleaded guilty to participating in a pair of shootings outside an East Side Tacoma tavern that left a man dead last year.

JeanPaul Wesley-Hook, 24, pleaded guilty last week to one count of second-degree murder and three counts of second-degree assault in the August 2007 shootings that killed Kevin Carter and left three others wounded outside Rudy's Tavern.

Wesley-Hook faces more than 29 years in prison when he's sentenced Oct. 3, according to court records.

Emmanuel Bonds, 23, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree assault in the case. He faces a sentence of more than 22 years.

Thomas Edward Law, 24, pleaded guilty last week to first-degree rendering criminal assistance. The proposed terms of his sentence have not been made public.

All three men are to be sentenced in Pierce County Superior Court on Oct. 3.

Prosecutors contend in court documents that Wesley-Hook got beaten up by a rival gang member in the tavern that night and decided to seek revenge with a gun.

He first opened fire in the parking lot, wounding two people, the documents state.

Minutes later, Wesley-Hook fired more shots toward the tavern from the window of a car driven by Bonds, according to the records. Law also was in the car.

Carter, an innocent bystander, was hit in the head and killed. Another person was wounded.

There's not too much new to report this morning on the shooting at a South End apartment that left one young man dead and another seriously injured.

Joshua (Josh) Gatbunton, 20, was killed in the shooting.

Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum had nothing new to report this morning. Detectives are hoping to talk to the surviving victim as soon as possible to learn more about what happened.

The surviving victim is a 20-year-old man. Those that know him reported yesterday that he was in critical condition.

Josh's death is the ninth homicide so far this year in the City of Tacoma.

UPDATE: A spokesman for St. Joseph Medical Center was unable to provide any information about the surviving victim.

Under federal patient privacy laws, patients (and/or their families) can request that no information about themselves be released. If they opt out, hospitals cannot even confirm the patient is receiving care at the facility.

So, I will have no other information on how the surviving victim is doing.

A person was reportedly killed early Thursday when a driver of a stolen vehicle struck the bystander on 72nd Street East and Golden Given Road, according to our news partners KIRO TV.

More when it becomes available.

UPDATE: And here's the update.

A man was killed this morning when a thief stole the man’s pickup truck, then hit the truck owner as he fled on 73nd Street East near Golden Given Road, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department reported.

The hit-and-run driver has not been arrested. The thief is described as a white man with blond-brown hair in a crew cut-type style. He was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans, sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.

He was driving a white 1998 Dodge Ram pickup with 20-inch chrome wheels, chrome running boards and a large decal in the back window that says, “Hater Most Wanted.” The truck’s has Washington license plates of B61070G.

The incident occurred about 6:45 a.m. in the 1000 block of 73rd Street East.

UPDATE 2: The victim and car thief had gotten into a confrontation moments before the thief jumped in the truck and ran over the victim.

The victim was transported to a local hospital but died of his injuries.

No other information about the victim has been released.

The Sheriff's Department is working up a picture of the truck to release to the media. We will post it here when it becomes available.

UPDATE 3: Here's a photo of the truck that was stolen. Sheriff's officials now say the truck is light silver but it could be mistaken for white.

Also updated information, the victim is the brother of the truck's owner. He is believed to be 33.

It's not yet known whether the thief and the victim knew each other.

UPDATE 4: A police airplane is flying around to aid in locating the stolen truck.

Also, Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and charges filed in this hit-and-run fatality.

Callers may remain anonymous. Reach Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff today for U.S. Army Spc. Carlo E. Alfonso, who was killed Aug. 26 in Iraq.

Alfonso was from Spokane.

The governor ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered until sunset today or first thing Friday morning.

Photo intern Darren Breen snapped this photo on 19th near the News Tribune office this afternoon. (Which is good, because I drove by it on the way to dinner and was kicking myself for not bringing my point-and-shoot along.)

This is what he told me:

The young man crawling under the fence would not give me his name, and said it was his mom's car, and that she works for the News Tribune.

After losing their son Nick in an industrial accident at the Tacoma Goodwill operations center in April, Glenn and Mary Miller of Sumner lost their 30-year-old son Barry in a motorcycle crash on Tuesday.

The Medical Examiner's Office and the family's attorney's office confirmed the death, but details about the crash were not immediately available from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.

Tacoma firefighters are on scene of a house fire in the 1400 block of North Steele Street.

One Tacoma firefighter was injured in this incident and taken to a local hospital as a precautionary measure, the fire department reported.

No other information about the firefighter was released.

Tacoma fire crews were called to the house at noon. The first crew was on the scene in less than a minute, said Tacoma Fire Deputy Chief Jolene Davis.

More than 30 firefighters battled the flames and extinguished the fire.

A crew was looking for possible hot spots when part of the ceiling came down and injured the firefighter, Davis said.

The firefighter was evaluated at the scene, then driven to Tacoma General Hospital.

Investigators will be on scene this afternoon to look for a cause of the fire, Davis said.

Local law enforcement officers are wearing the traditional black stripes over their badges today in honor of slain Skagit Valley sheriff's deputy Anne Jackson (pictured here).

Jackson, 40, was one of the victims of the shooting spree in Skagit Valley on Monday afternoon.

UPDATE: Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said his department has offered resources and support to Skagit Valley.

Here's a roundup of the newspaper coverage of the shooting spree yesterday that left six people, including a sheriff's deputy, dead in Skagit County.

All outlets talked to the alleged shooter's mother. Most have the same details about what happened and the mother's struggles with getting her mentally ill son treatment.

As part of its story, the Seattle P-I talked with friends of the alleged shooter. Here's their story.

The Seattle Times talked with the best friend of slain deputy Anne Jackson. Here's their story.

Here's the Bellingham Herald story.

We'll be reporting throughout the day on the early morning double shooting in the 9300 block of South Steele Street.

One man was killed and another seriously injured in this shooting.

Read more here.

I'll post updates as I get them.

UPDATE: Not too much news to report as of 10 a.m.

The indications are this shooting was not random, however a motive was immediately known.

According to his Facebook page, Gatbunton was a student at St. Martin's University and a 2006 graduate of Mount Tahoma High School.

He worked as a lifeguard at Wild Waves from June 2006-September 2007.

UPDATE 2: Tacoma police detectives were back at the apartment today to serve a search warrant in hopes to find more clues in this early morning shooting.

Police spokesman Fulghum reports Gatbunton did not live at the apartment but was staying there.

The gunmen apparently shot Gatbunton first. The second victim, who rents the apartment, awoke to the gunfire. The suspects then burst into his bedroom and shot him. The suspects, described only as two Asian men, fled, Fulghum said.

The renter, who is in his 20s, was able to call 911 and provide some details about the shooting. He underwent surgery this morning and detectives were hoping to interview him and get more details about what happened, Fulghum said.

Anyone with information about the shooting or who may have seen the suspects enter or live the apartment is asked to call Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers at 253-591-5959.

Callers may remain anonymous.

Tips also can be e-mailed to the Tacoma Police Department through the Crime Stoppers web site.

UPDATE 3: Josh was a member of St. Martin's track team. Here is his profile on the university's web site.

From the not everything is as it seems department...

Tacoma police are warning Craigslist users to be wary of another scam.

The department received two reports late last month about a house for sale that had been listed on Craigslist as for rent, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said Tuesday. A scam artist was trying to trick interested renters to giving up their money.

The reports were filed about the same East Side home, Fulghum said.

"Callers were concerned because of a for sale sign in the front of the house," he said. "They didn't know whether it was for sale or for rent."

The home's real estate agent got a hold of Craigslist and had the original "for rent" ad taken down. The ad reappeared, however, the next day with a different e-mail contact, Fulghum said.

Fulghum advised that people using Craigslist confirm whether a house is for sale or rent before handing over money. Contact the listed real estate agent to verify the information.

If an ad says one thing and a sign in the front yard says something else, that should be a red flag for you.

Craigslist also has posted tips to avoid scams. Find those here.

The Washington State Patrol released the following press release on a woman struck and killed by two trains in Thurston County:

At approximately 5 p.m. this evening a woman was killed after being struck by two trains in Bucoda. The woman, identified as 74 year-old Patricia A. Panter of Bucoda, was driving her 1995 Subaru Legacy eastbound on State Route 507. She turned onto 6th avenue and attempted to cross a railroad crossing on 6th avenue. Panter was struck by the third car of a freight train that was heading southbound along the tracks. The train drug her car and she was struck again by an Amtrak train heading northbound on the tracks.

Sadly, Panter was unable to survive her injuries. It is unknown why Panter was crossing at the time she was struck by the train. The Amtrak train had hundreds of passengers on board. At this time there are no reported injuries on board the train. The roadway is closed for investigation of the scene and should re-open within the next hour.

A handful of Thurston County law enforcement agencies are looking to provide hands-free devices for its officers, according to this story posted today on the Olympian's web site.

Law enforcement personnel are exempt from the state's hands free cell phone law but some Thurston County agencies are looking to comply with the law anyway.

To date, there is no similar movement within the Tacoma Police or Pierce County Sheriff's departments.

Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said: "We've got to communicate." Deputies and detectives use the two-way talk feature on their Nextels, which means they need to be holding the phones to use them. If they didn't do that, they'd have to use the traditional police radios, which also would be in their hands, Troyer said. Some people are going hands free, he added.

Mark Brian Verhul was arrested Tuesday on a bench warrant charging him with first-degree assault in connection with a stabbing outside Knapp's on the morning of Aug. 11.

According to a prosecutor's affidavit:

Police responded to the hospital where a man had been bought in with a 12-inch abdominal wound.

He told police he'd been stabbed by a man he knew from Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as "Mark."

The victim "did not know why 'Mark' had stabbed him, or with what."

On Aug. 13 the victim picked Verhul out of a photo line-up.

This was inevitable.

The FBI has issued a warning for citizens to be wary of scams related to Hurricane Gustav.

Here's the agency's press release:

Recent history, including Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ivan; the tsunamis in Asia; and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, has shown that some criminals seek to profit from disaster by means of fraud. The FBI asks that individuals beware of e-mails claiming to seek donations for Hurricane Gustav relief efforts. The FBI will be checking for fraudulent websites and e-mails and will thoroughly investigate all complaints.

Everyone should consider the following:

* Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.

* Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.

* Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.

* Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

* To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to recognized organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.

* Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.

* Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.

* Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and expose you to identity theft.

"People that want to donate to the victims should do so, but should make sure the donation goes to a legitimate charity. We cannot allow the kindness of Americans to be exploited in times of crisis," said Special Agent Richard Kolko, Chief, National Press Office. "We want to help ensure that the money and support so generously offered reaches the intended recipients—the victims of Hurricane Gustav—and that people who donate do not themselves become victims."

For the second time since 2007, prosecutors are asking a judge to hold a dual-jury trial in a Pierce County murder case.

This time, deputy prosecutor Dawn Farina wants two juries to simultaneously hear evidence against Renee Curtiss and her brother, Nicholas Notaro (seen here).

The pair is accused of killing Joseph Tarricone in 1978, cutting up his body with a chain saw and burying his remains behind a house in the Summit area.

Tarricone was pursuing a romantic relationship with Curtiss at the time. Prosecutors contend she'd grown tired of the older man's advances and solicited her brother to kill him.

Curtiss and Notaro have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Farina argues in pre-trial motions that the most expedient way to try the pair is by having two juries hear evidence against them at the same time. One of the juries would sit in judgment of Curtiss while the other would weigh the evidence against Notaro.

Curtiss' jury would be excused from the courtroom when prosecutors introduced evidence that was admissible against Notaro but not her, and vice versa.

You can read Farina's brief here.

Pierce County prosecutors asked for a dual-jury trial against murder suspects Carol and Daniel Carlson last spring, but a Superior Court judge denied their motion. The mother and son later pleaded guilty for their roles in the death of Daniel's wife, Lisa Ann Dahm Carlson.

One of my stories on that case follows.

Judge Kitty-Ann van Doorninck is scheduled to hear arguments on Farina's request in the Tarricone murder in November.

=> Read more!

It's been a busy couple of weeks, with other stories preventing me from posting the June monthly reports from the Tacoma Police Department.

So here are some highlights:

Sector 1: The community liaison officers conducted a task force inspection of 1900 South Sprague Street, which had been the source of reported narcotics activity. Violations were found and the power was shut off. Officers also did a CPTED analysis of the University of Washington Tacoma campus. A new plan for landscaping and lighting was developed after the evaluation.

Sector 2: Detectives were investigating a number of thefts from vehicles (including catalytic converters) and vandalism to cars.

Sector 3: Community liaison officers and Metro Parks officials were working to address problems at Skip Vaughn Park at South 64th and Wapato streets. There are reports of parking issues, drinking, fighting and gang activity.

Sector 4: Officers are working on the new community-based services area.

Gang unit: Officers seized $1,300 in cash, confiscated three guns and made numerous arrests. The gang unit worked the Taste of Tacoma and arrested a former gang member on suspicion of third-degree assault.

K-9 unit: Members of the K-9 unit made three felony arrests and one misdemeanor arrest. Officer Chris Martin and his dog, Oscar, completed training and are ready to work the streets.

Traffic unit: Traffic officers were called out to investigate two traffic accidents in the month of June. They issued 799 traffic tickets in the four sectors, with drivers in Sector 2 receiving the most with 268. They also issued 2,496 citations from the red light cameras.

Marine Services Unit: The unit performed 104 vessel safety inspections, wrote 15 citations, conducted 510 visual safety inspections, had five boater assists and investigated one theft in the month of June.

I'll keep an eye out for the July reports and try to get them posted in a timely fashion.

There are some fire trucks around Atlas this afternoon after a reported gas leak.

Fire crews evacuated the surrounding buildings and blocked off Center Street and Wilkeson Street.

No injuries were immediately reported.

UPDATE: Tacoma police officers also were done there to assist with traffic control.

It sounds like this is largely over with.

Twelve neighborhood groups will take to the streets Friday in what is being billed as the biggest and most collaborative demonstration against crime in Tacoma.

The purpose of the demonstration is to send a message to criminals to get out and to enhance the people's awareness of crime in their neighborhoods and the community, Safe Streets reported.

The participating Safe Streets groups are:

* South Yakima Citizens Neighborhood Group and Fern Hill Neighborhood Watch Group.

* Larchmont Safe Streets Neighborhood Group and Upper Pacific Avenue

* Wapato Group and Stewart Heights Neighborhood Watch Group

* Park Avenue Neighborhood Group

* Pacific Avenue Business District

* Lincoln LAWGs

* Lincoln South Neighbors

* Lincoln West Neighborhood

* Mann Neighborhood Group

Each group will meet at their designated site at 5:30 p.m. to paint signs. They'll march from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Safe Streets will be providing all the materials.

There are a couple of things we're following up on from the holiday weekend.

* The man who drowned in Lake Tapps on Monday afternoon has been identified as Ravindra Werewattage, 39.

* There's no identification yet of the man hit and killed by a train early Monday in Tacoma.