Post Falls man dies in crash along river

A man was killed early Saturday when his car went over a Spokane River bank in Post Falls, the Idaho State Police reported.

Jason D. Perry, 28, was driving a Chevrolet Blazer south on Spokane Street. He jumped a curb, drove across First Avenue and crashed into a sign and shrubs before driving over the riverbank, the ISP said in a press release. He was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

The crash was not discovered until about 6:30 a.m., when it was found by a pedestrian, the ISP said. Police were concerned that there might have been a passenger in the Blazer who landed in the river. The area was searched by Kootenai County divers, but no one was found, the ISP said.

Perry, who was from Post Falls, was not wearing a seat belt.

The crash remains under investigation.

Man critical after motorcycle accident

A Spokane man was hospitalized late Saturday afternoon in a motorcycle accident west of Priest Lake.

Scott E. Mauro, 32, was taken by helicopter to Sacred Heart Medical Center with head injuries, the Idaho State Police reported in a press release. He was listed in critical condition Saturday night.

Mauro was on Reeder Bay Road near state Highway 57 on a Yamaha motorcycle about 6 p.m., ISP said. He was trying to start the bike and was being towed by an ATV driven by Gene A. Mauro, 59, ISP said.

When the engine started, the cycle lunged forward, the tow strap became entangled in the front wheel and the motorcycle tipped.

Neither Scott Mauro nor Gene Mauro was wearing a helmet, ISP said.

Top of lava dome falls into St. Helens crater

Mount St. Helens National Monument, Wash. A large chunk was knocked off the growing lava dome on Mount St. Helens Saturday, sending an ash plume above the crater rim, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

A rockfall at 6 a.m. caused what scientists called a “substantial seismic signal” and knocked the piece off the lava dome. Despite persistent smaller rockfalls, the volcano was relatively quiet for the rest of the day.

The U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Washington have monitored the volcano closely since it rumbled back to life Sept. 23, with shuddering seismic activity that peaked above magnitude 3 as hot magma broke through rocks in its path. Molten rock reached the surface Oct. 11, marking resumption of dome-building activity that had stopped in 1986. On March 8, it shot ash higher than 30,000 feet, but since then has maintained low-key activity, with wispy smoke regularly floating from the crater.

Scientists have said a more explosive eruption, possibly dropping ash within a 10-mile radius of the crater, is possible at any time.

Small fires in Beacon Hill area likely arson

Five small wildfires extinguished Friday night in east Spokane likely were caused by arson, the Spokane Fire Department reported.

A fire investigator interviewed witnesses on Saturday who said they saw a person go from location to location where the blazes later were discovered, said Spokane Fire Battalion Chief Steve Sabo.

Crews were called to the Beacon Hill area about 8 p.m. Friday. They contained the fires within about an hour and a half, Battalion Chief Joel Fielder said at the scene Friday.

The largest of the fires, which were on private land east of Esmeralda Golf Course, reached no more than a quarter acre. No structures were threatened.

River floaters to get free beer in stunt

Boise

On-air personalities from a radio station will hand out beer Monday to floaters on the Boise River in protest of the city’s recent drinking ban.

The Boise City Council voted a few weeks ago to enforce the city’s ban on open containers of alcohol in public places.

But in a combined publicity stunt and protest, deejays from KKGL-FM “The Eagle” will lower a small amount of beer to floaters from a bridge over the river.

“We think it’s OK if you want to go out and have a beer on the river,” said Scott Souhrada, the station’s program manager.

Police are aware of the stunt and may observe, but won’t necessarily write tickets or make arrests, said Boise Police Department spokeswoman Lynn Hightower.

It is against the law to distribute alcohol without a license, state alcohol beverage control officer Lt. Bob Clements said.

Souhrada said the station would not have a license to distribute beer by Monday, but he said he was willing to risk arrest or a ticket to make a point.