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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Truck carrying paint gets stuck under overpass

The top of a paint company truck crashed into the bottom of an overpass Thursday morning, spilling about 25 gallons of paint and closing part of South Stevens Street in downtown Spokane.

The Spokane Fire Department treated the spill as a hazardous materials incident, although most of the paint was contained inside the crunched cargo container.

Battalion Chief Dave Haworth said the truck was southbound on Stevens when it slammed into the railroad overpass between First and Second avenues around 8:30 a.m. No one was injured.

He said the overpass, at 11 feet 6 inches high, is one of the lowest in the city but is clearly marked.

“We’ve had issues in the past here,” he said, pointing to visible missing chunks of the concrete bridge on either side.

Video of WSU attack posted briefly online

A video containing excerpts of surveillance camera footage from the night a Washington State University instructor was assaulted was released to The Spokesman-Review by police and published on the news company’s website for several hours on Thursday.

A Pullman police records clerk mailed a disk containing 30 minutes of footage from five surveillance cameras to staff writer Nicole Hensley in response to a public records request.

Shortly after the video was posted Thursday afternoon, Pullman police Chief Gary Jenkins said the video had been released in error. Jenkins asked that it be removed from the website because its release “could potentially hamper and impede our active investigation of this case.”

The Spokesman-Review agreed to that request, but reserves the right to re-post the video if formal charges are filed in the case. Three people have been arrested but not charged in connection with the assault.

Editor Gary Graham noted that the video was obtained legally, given to the newspaper by the Pullman Police Department. However, “In the spirit of cooperation with an active police investigation, we have agreed to remove it from our website.”

The video shows a confrontation that left the instructor, David Warner, in critical condition with a head injury.

It also shows emergency responders arriving on the scene and a large crowd gathering around Warner’s prone body.

CdA mayor says she won’t seek fourth term

Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem says she will not seek a fourth term this year.

Bloem, 70, is the city’s first female mayor and its first to serve three terms.

On her watch, the city built a new library, collaborated on construction of the Salvation Army Kroc Center and championed an education corridor that connects several colleges. One of the final projects Bloem will see completed this year is the rebirth of McEuen Park downtown.

Bloem, owner of Johannes and Co. Jewelers, sent an email to city employees stating, “The past 12 years have been very special to me personally to have the opportunity to work with such a great city family. Thank you for all your support and the excellence you provide every day.”

Man dies in car collision with log truck, ISP says

A fatal crash blocked both directions of Highway 41 near Hamilton Road in Rathdrum for several hours Thursday, according to the Idaho State Police.

A Vancouver, Wash., man, identified by the ISP as Brian E. Thompson, 50, was driving a 2012 Toyota Prius north on the highway when he crossed the centerline and hit a log truck. Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene, the ISP said.

Fugitive found hiding in outhouse, arrested

Federal agents caught a fugitive in Spokane Valley on Wednesday after he was found hiding in an outhouse.

Travis W. Beavers, 20, fled authorities and ditched his car near Dishman-Mica Road and Appleway Boulevard around 9 p.m.

Spokane Valley sheriff’s deputies helped federal agents set up a perimeter to find the convicted felon. Spokane County police dog Laslo tracked Beavers to an outhouse several blocks from the abandoned car.

Beavers initially refused to leave the bathroom because he was scared of Laslo based on his prior history with K-9 units, Deputy Craig Chamberlin said in a news release. He then “was introduced to Laslo,” the release said.

Beavers was taken into custody by federal agents after being treated at a local hospital. He’s in custody at Spokane County Jail on federal charges of possessing a firearm, according to court documents.

Eastern Washington drier than normal

National Weather Service meteorologists report a drier-than-normal beginning to 2013 with only four inches of precipitation since Jan. 1.

About half the normal amount of precipitation has been recorded across Eastern Washington. The dry weather follows a bigger trend across the Western United States.

The average precipitation for the period is about six inches, meteorologists reported, but the last two years have been very wet with about eight to nine inches of recorded precipitation.

Spokane is expected to be sunny with a high of 74 degrees today and light winds expected to increase overnight. Wind gusts up to 39 mph are possible Saturday with a high near 67 degrees. There’s a 40 percent chance of rain Sunday night.