More Flooding Looms; Truck Lands In River

The threat of more flooding loomed over Western Washington as a second-round storm was set to bring snow to the mountains and heavy rain to the saturated lowlands.

High water from earlier in the week left a duck hunter missing and presumed drowned, and undermined a bridge on the Burlington Northern’s main line.

A dump truck that was helping repair the Skagit River railroad bridge between Mount Vernon and Burlington fell into the river Friday night. Search and rescue dive crews and a Coast Guard helicopter were called.

The driver was found and taken to Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, but there was no immediate word on his condition.

A crane was summoned to pull the truck from the river.

Snohomish County authorities used a helicopter and dive teams again Friday to search unsuccessfully for Dean Savoy. The 35-year-old duck hunter from the Renton area was swept away Wednesday near Monroe when Snoqualmie River floodwaters filled his hip waders.

The search was suspended late Friday afternoon, but might resume Saturday, officials said.

Savoy’s hunting companion, Dave Taylor, said he survived because he was able to get out of his waders and was pulled to safety by their hunting dog, a Labrador named Mariah.

The flooding Skagit damaged the BN railroad bridge on Thursday, undermining a pier on one of the 13 spans, railroad spokesman Gus Melonas said.

The 800-foot bridge was closed, but Melonas said Friday that repairs were going faster than expected and he expected the line to reopen Thursday.

The National Weather Service said the new storm that made its way into the Puget Sound region Friday afternoon was expected to last until Saturday.

A winter storm watch was issued for the Cascade and Olympic mountains, along with the east slope of the Cascades from Ellensburg northward and in north-central Washington.