January 9, 2007 in City

In brief: Teen charged with attempted murder

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A 16-year-old boy was arrested Sunday on attempted first-degree murder charges after he poured bleach and shampoo into the mouth of a 15-year-old mentally challenged housemate.

Deputies were called Sunday evening to a group home in the 3300 block of East Donora Court, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan said in a news release Monday. The suspect allegedly told deputies that he filled one cup with mouthwash and one with a mix of bleach, shampoo and water. He offered to pour the mouthwash into the boy’s mouth, but instead poured in the toxic mix, Reagan said. The boy spit it out and was unharmed.

The suspect’s name wasn’t released Monday, Reagan said.

More high winds in forecast

The National Weather Service on Monday issued a high wind watch for this evening with gusts potentially reaching 55 mph around Spokane and 60 mph in outlying areas.

If forecasters are correct, it will be the third and strongest windstorm to strike the region in the four-day period starting Saturday. Winds gusted to 41 mph at Spokane International Airport on Sunday about 11 a.m. and 52 mph on Saturday about 2 a.m.

Today’s storm may be accompanied by rain changing to snow showers in the evening.

The storm is expected to be followed by arctic air, which could bring lows of 2 degrees overnight Thursday with highs Thursday and Friday around 14.

Whitman County

Auto accident kills 4-year-old boy

A 4-year-old boy died Sunday after he was hit by a vehicle his father was driving, Whitman County officials said Monday.

Kade Michael Smith was near the family’s home on Becker Road when he walked in front of his father’s moving car about 4 p.m., said Sheriff Brett Myers. Smith’s father took the child to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The preliminary investigation indicates there was no criminal conduct on the part of the father, Myers said. The investigation is continuing.

Grant County

Driver dies in high-speed crash

A driver going more than 118 mph was killed in a single-vehicle crash early Sunday near Warden, Wash., Grant County officials said.

The driver was identified as James S. Bushnell, also known as Jamie Vega, 30, of Ephrata, said Grant County Sheriff’s Office spokesman John Turley. Bushnell was alone in the vehicle.

Deputies responded to the crash about 5:35 a.m. Sunday. Bushnell was driving a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse north on County Road through Warden when he lost control, Turley said. The car went off the road, spun backward and hit railroad tracks near Weir Road. The car then went airborne and struck the road head on.

The driver was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car, Turley said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

THE DALLES, Ore.

Moscow councilman missing

A Moscow, Idaho, city councilman went missing after stopping to help at the scene of a traffic accident, and authorities say he may have fallen or jumped into the John Day River to avoid a second accident.

John Dickinson, 62, of Moscow stopped his vehicle Sunday night behind a car that had crashed on an Interstate 84 bridge east of The Dalles, the Oregon State Police said.

Dickinson got out of his car, which another motorist then struck from behind. Dickinson couldn’t be found at the scene, and state troopers said he may have fallen off the bridge or jumped the concrete railing, which is 3 1/2 feet high.

Search crews on Monday failed to find Dickinson, who was recently named president of the Moscow City Council. The river is more than 80 feet deep in the area of the crash and the surface water temperature is about 40 degrees, police said.

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