Man held on ID theft charges

Spokane Police arrested a man believed to have stolen the identities of a local firefighter and a Marine stationed in Iraq.

Spokane area resident Robert Turner was booked into the Spokane County Jail Thursday on several charges, including possession of stolen property, trafficking stolen property and two counts of identity theft. He remained in jail Friday on a $30,000 bond.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Barbieri said that he first investigated Turner in December after Turner was traced to a stolen snowblower sold to a pawn shop.

A warrant was out for Turner’s arrest, and police found two identifications each of the firefighter and the Marine in Turner’s car when they pulled him over on a traffic stop Thursday. The sheriff’s office did not release the names of the victims.

Barbieri said there are at least six victims of burglaries and identity thefts believed to have been committed by Turner.

While in Iraq, the Marine noticed that his Visa bill had $3,000 worth of bills that weren’t from him. He asked his girlfriend to check on his property stored in a garage or barn, and she found that it had been burglarized, Barbieri said.

Sound Transit may raise fares

Seattle Sound Transit, the regional mass transit authority in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties, is on the verge of raising commuter bus fares.

The Sound Transit finance committee has unanimously recommended a 20 percent increase in the fares. Most adult bus fares would increase by 50 cents. The cost of riding a Sound Transit express is based on how many fare zones a rider travels through, as well as the type of fare involved.

The proposed increase is due in part to rising fuel costs but would also allow Sound Transit to recover a greater share of its operating expenses from riders instead of taxpayers, officials said. They expect to see a loss in ridership because of the fare increase.

The Sound Transit board is expected to make a final decision next week.

There are no plans to increase fares on Sounder trains, Sound Transit’s commuter rail service, officials said.

Sound Transit’s express buses run 19 routes in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties. The transit authority was created in 1996.

Two hospitalized in road rage incident

Tacoma An apparent case of road rage landed two uninvolved people in the hospital following a three-vehicle crash on State Route 512.

Two men, a 48-year-old Tacoma man and his 22-year-old son, ended up at Tacoma General Hospital when their Ford Ranger pickup rolled several times after being hit by another pickup, state troopers said.

The pair were treated and released.

The wreck occurred Thursday after an argument escalated between a 45-year-old Sumner man driving a Hyundai Accent and a 25-year-old man from Puyallup driving another Ford Ranger pickup.

According to troopers, the two drivers were yelling and making hand gestures at each other. The Hyundai’s driver maneuvered in front of the Puyallup man’s pickup and slammed on the brakes. The pickup collided with the Hyundai, then spun out of control into the other Ford Ranger truck.

The 25-year-old, who suffered minor injuries, was arrested for investigation of vehicular assault, driving under the influence and possession of dangerous firearms. Troopers found a sawed-off shotgun, a large knife and a metal-tip billy club in his truck, Trooper Johnny Alexander said.

The Hyundai driver, who also suffered minor injuries, was arrested for investigation of vehicular assault as well.

Mount Rainier roads, campgrounds closed

Mount Rainier National Park, Wash. Recent heavy rains around Mount Rainier National Park have closed roads and campgrounds.

The Carbon River road in the northwest corner of the park is closed indefinitely due to washouts in numerous locations. The Sunshine Point Campground at the southwest entrance is closed temporarily because of overflow from Tahoma Creek.

The road from the Nisqually entrance to Paradise remains open daily with the road between Longmire and Paradise opening at about 9 a.m. daily, park officials said.

The Paradise snow play area remains closed because of a lack of snow. The Henry Jackson Visitors Center is only open on weekends.