In brief: Teen drowning victim identified
The teenager who drowned in the Spokane River near Upriver Dam last week has been identified as Donovan Groom, 16.
Water rescue teams from the Spokane Fire Department and the Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to the call just before noon Thursday, as did the Sheriff’s Office dive team.
His friends called 911 to report that Groom was in trouble, said Melanie Rose, Spokane Valley Fire Department spokeswoman. One of his feet was stuck between two rocks, Rose said.
Groom was out of the water by 12:10 p.m. and was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. He died Friday.
Nina Culver
Man rescued from brush fire
Spokane County Fire District 8 firefighters rescued an unconscious man from a brush fire Tuesday morning in the 6700 block of South Mount Vernon.
The crew at the fire station at 61st Avenue and Palouse Highway noticed a column of smoke nearby about 8:45 a.m., Deputy Chief Greg Godfrey said. They found a small brush fire.
“As they started to advance a hose line, they noticed a man on the ground, burning,” Godfrey said.
Firefighters pulled the man from the flames and treated him before sending him to Sacred Heart Medical Center. About 14 percent of his body was burned, Godfrey said. Information on his condition was unavailable Tuesday night.
Crews from Spokane Fire, Spokane Valley Fire and the Department of Natural Resources helped put the fire out quickly.
The injured man may have been a transient. A small camp was found nearby and it appears that a campfire may have started the blaze, Godfrey said
Nina Culver
Body found that of 40-year-old
A body found Friday evening in Spokane Valley is that of Gary Huckaby, 40, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
A passerby found Huckaby’s “badly decomposed body” lying in tall grass between two boats that were being stored in the 8100 block of East Harrington Avenue, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release issued Tuesday.
“With the cause and manner of his death still unknown, a criminal investigation will continue,” the release said.
Staff report
Expect delays east of I-90 pass
Work to set girders on a new avalanche bridge for Interstate 90 east of Snoqualmie Pass is causing weeknight and early weekday morning delays for eastbound traffic.
State transportation officials said that the contractor on the job placed five girders Monday night.
The closures involve stopping eastbound traffic for about an hour multiple times from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. The closure periods are scheduled for tonight and Thursday night through the following mornings. Next week, the closures are planned to start at 9 p.m. Monday through June 25.
Westbound traffic also is experiencing minor delays.
Staff report