Briefly

Vehicle crash kills 2 women

Two women died in a car wreck Sunday afternoon outside Silverwood Theme Park just north of Hayden Lake, Idaho, when their station wagon was struck broadside by a motor home.

The 2 p.m. accident on U.S. Highway 95 occurred after Spokane driver Joanne M. Weathermon, attempting to enter the Silverwood parking lot, turned in front of a motor home driven by Hershel T. Simpson, of Lacy, Wash. The 20-foot Winnebago, which was traveling southbound toward Coeur d’Alene, smashed into the driver’s side door of Weathermon’s car, a Mercury Sable.

Both Weathermon, 46, and her passenger, Janice Templeton, 64, of University Place, Wash., were killed. Simpson, 70, and his wife, Jean, 71, were taken to Kootenai Medical Center.

Idaho State Police said alcohol was not a factor in the accident. All four people were wearing seat belts. No citations have been issued. The accident is under investigation.

Man jailed after casino incident

A Pullman man is accused of attacking a casino manager with a meat cleaver Sunday morning.

Phillip Nguyen, 39, was arrested outside the Zeppoz’ Recreational Center and Mr. Z’s Casino in southeast Pullman shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday. In an incident report, Pullman Police Officer Scott Kirk said Nguyen was angry over losing a card game and attacked the casino manager after being thrown out of the establishment.

Nguyen, who also worked as a card dealer at the casino, apparently went out to his car after being ejected and returned with a cleaver, which he allegedly swung at the manager’s neck.

Mr. Z’s employees told police they wrestled the cleaver from Nguyen before anyone was hurt. Nguyen was thrown out of the casino a second time and was arrested in the parking lot a short time later.

“I’m not sure what set him off,” said Trent House, Zeppoz’ general manager. “He had a question over a bet or something like that and came back with a knife. Thankfully it all got caught on video.”

Nguyen, who House described as small in stature, had dealt cards at the casino for the last several months, the manager said.

Zeppoz’ was mostly shut down when the incident occurred, with few people in the casino and the adjoining restaurant closed for the night. The casino, which opened last November, had never had a violent incident before, House said.

Wastewater purged into river

A non-toxic plume of wastewater was purged into the Spokane River on Sunday by Inland Empire Paper Co. of Millwood.

The release, which occurred shortly after 8 a.m., was caused by hot temperatures, which created a malfunction in the paper mill’s wastewater system and forced the plant to shut down.

The murky discharge was unattractive, but not hazardous, said Kevin Rasler, Inland Empire production manager.

Rasler said the plant would probably be operational again today.

Inland Empire Paper Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cowles Publishing Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review.

Spokane Valley grass fire put out

A grass fire erupted Sunday afternoon, threatening outbuildings and a strip of trees just north of Bigelow Gulch and Argonne roads in Spokane Valley.

An air tanker doused the mid-afternoon blaze, leaving Spokane County firefighters to hose down whatever hot spots remained from the roughly half-acre fire.

Sheriff’s deputies blocked motorists from Bruce Road for about four hours while fire crews mopped up. Traffic along Argonne and Bigelow Gulch roads was not delayed by the grass fire.

Woman hurt in horse accident

Missoula, Mont. A Spokane horsewoman injured in a Flathead Valley equestrian competition remained in critical condition Sunday at a hospital here.

Cindy Burge, 41, was competing on a cross-country course when her horse fell and then rolled onto her Saturday in the Horse Trials at Rebecca Farm, near Kalispell.

Burge was taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center and later to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.