In brief: West Nile virus found on air base

West Nile virus has been found in a mosquito trap on Fairchild Air Force Base, the U.S. Air Force said Thursday. No cases of human infection have been reported there.

The virus causes flu-like symptoms in about 20 percent of people bitten by an infected mosquito; about 80 percent of those bitten won’t show symptoms, a news release said. Fewer than 1 percent of people infected with the virus develop serious complications such as meningitis, encephalitis or paralysis.

The West Nile detection is at least the third this year in Eastern Washington, according to the Washington state Department of Health. Infected mosquitoes were found in Benton and Yakima counties, and one case of human infection was reported in Skagit County.

The Air Force is treating areas of standing water to control the mosquito population and could move on to fogging mosquito-infested areas if needed, the release said.

Officials name man struck on on-ramp

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the man killed in a Wednesday accident near the Sprague Avenue on-ramp to westbound Interstate 90.

Matthew J. Miller, 30, died of blunt head injury, a news release from the medical examiner said.

Miller was walking across Third Avenue talking on his cellphone after his car was hit by a van. He was then hit and killed by a vehicle not involved in the initial accident, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office reported.

The driver of the van in the initial collision was cited for an improper turn. The driver of the vehicle that hit and killed Miller was not cited, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Woman killed in crash on Trent

The Washington State Patrol said a driver was speeding recklessly and passing cars when he collided head-on with an oncoming car Wednesday evening in Spokane Valley, killing the other driver.

Brittany A. Babinski, 21, of Spokane Valley, was killed in the accident.

Authorities said 43-year-old Brett Birge, of Auburn, may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol when his Volkswagen Jetta collided with Babinski’s Mazda 626 around 5:20 p.m. Birge faces a vehicular homicide charge, a news release from the WSP said.

Birge was injured and was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

The accident occurred on Trent Avenue at Sargent Road. Birge was driving west on Trent when his vehicle crossed the centerline and hit Babinski’s car head-on, the release said.