In brief: Bodies recovered in Air Force helicopter crash in England

Police say the bodies of four U.S. Air Force crew members, including two from the Northwest, have been recovered from the site of a helicopter crash in eastern England.

Capt. Christopher S. Stover, of Vancouver, Wash., Staff Sgt. Afton M. Ponce, of Priest River, Idaho, Capt. Sean M. Ruane and Technical Sgt. Dale E. Mathews died when their Pave Hawk helicopter came down in a marshland nature reserve on the Norfolk coast on Tuesday.

An ambulance was seen removing bodies from the marsh Thursday after what officials called a “complex” recovery operation.

The aircraft was assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at Royal Air Force base Lakenheath in eastern England. It was on a training mission when it crashed.

Staff and wire reports

Driver under influence during crash, WSP says

Vehicular assault charges are pending against a Clarkston woman after an accident Wednesday night on U.S. Highway 195 north of Rosalia.

Savanna Brown, 26, was under the influence of alcohol or drugs when her gray 2007 Chrysler sedan crossed the center line and hit a Chevrolet pickup driven by Alan Evans, 60, of Oakesdale, a Washington State Patrol news release said.

Brown was injured and taken to Deaconess Medical Center. Authorities do not know whether she was wearing a seat belt, the release said. Evans’ passenger, Randi Evans, 64, who was wearing a seat belt, was injured and also taken to Deaconess. Alan Evans, who was wearing a seat belt, was not injured.

Brown was headed north near Cheney Plaza Road when her car hit Evans’ southbound pickup.

Charges of driving with a suspended license also are pending against Brown, the release said.

Staff report

High winds predicted for Spokane area

Winds gusting to 48 mph in Spokane and up to 60 mph in other Inland Northwest locations are expected starting early Saturday and continuing until dawn on Sunday.

Coeur d’Alene may see wind gusts to 55 mph on Saturday.

Sustained winds will be from 24 to 29 mph in Spokane and from 25 to 31 mph in Coeur d’Alene.

The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a high wind watch from 1 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday for the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene area, the upper Columbia Basin, the Palouse, southeast Washington and the central Idaho Panhandle.

Mike Prager