In brief: Northwest Spokane home catches fire
A Friday afternoon fire in a northwest Spokane home caused thousands of dollars in damage after combustibles were left too close to a furnace.
Spokane firefighters responded to the fire on the 1800 block of West Jackson Avenue at 3:52 p.m. and found heavy smoke and fire in the home’s basement rapidly extending to the first floor, according to Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer.
Residents met arriving firefighters and reported everyone was out of the home. No one was injured in the blaze.
Firefighters from the first engines on scene coordinated an interior attack on the fire while ladder companies ventilated the roof, Schaeffer said. The fire, which caused an estimated $20,000 in damage, was extinguished within an hour.
Woman’s body found; man arrested
GRESHAM, Ore. – Police in the east Portland suburb of Gresham, Ore., said they have found the body of a young woman who vanished Tuesday on her way to work and have arrested a neighbor for investigation of aggravated murder.
Police Chief Craig Junginger said Friday night that searchers found the body of 21-year-old Whitney Heichel on a mountain east of Gresham.
The chief said police have arrested a 24-year-old male acquaintance who lived in the same apartment complex.
WSU wine center dedication in Richland
RICHLAND – Washington State University dedicated the site for its Wine Science Center at the Tri-Cities campus on Friday.
The Tri-City Herald reported the city of Richland is directing the $23 million project on Port of Benton land through a public development authority. Construction starts next year. The center will be turned over to WSU for research into growing grapes and making wine.
Gov. Chris Gregoire attended the dedication. Her office said she’s also planned to visit Walla Walla on Friday to meet with winery owners and workers and see grapes being crushed.
Police arrest teens in Craigslist robbery
Police in Washington’s Battle Ground and Vancouver areas arrested two men and a teen this week in connection with an Oct. 7 robbery in the parking lot of Maple Grove School.
The victim of the robbery was selling a game console on Craigslist and agreed to meet a potential buyer in the school parking lot on Oct. 7. The three suspects met the seller and allegedly approached the victim with a handgun and stole the console, Gilberti said.
Arrested were Outon Bountham, 18, Christopher Winterroth, 19, and a 16-year-old juvenile male on suspicion of first-degree robbery and third-degree theft, Battle Ground spokeswoman Bonni Gilberti said.
Fake deliveryman stabs woman
SPANAWAY, Wash. – The Pierce County sheriff’s office says a man posing as a deliveryman broke into a Spanaway home Friday and stabbed a woman.
Sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said the man was in a brown uniform and carrying a box.
The intruder tied up the 57-year-old woman, stabbed her and fled in her car.
Troyer said deputies found her car but were going to continue to look for the man.
The woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Man shot identified; woman still mystery
Grant County sheriff’s detectives have identified a man found fatally shot in a ditch near Moses Lake, but they are still trying to get information on a woman found shot to death near Mattawa.
The man who was found Wednesday has been identified as Tracy C. Fullbright, 29, of Soap Lake, Wash.
On Tuesday a hunter found a woman’s body near the Columbia River south of Mattawa.
Officials said the woman, who had been shot, appears to be Hispanic and in her 30s. Detectives asked the public to give any information about missing friends or relatives by calling (509) 754-2011, ext. 468, or by email at crimetips@co.grant.wa.us.