In brief: Trial delayed in crash that killed 5
The trial of a Deer Park man accused of killing five children from a Chewelah family has been postponed.
Deputy Spokane County Prosecutor Clint Francis said the trial of Clifford Lee Helm has been rescheduled from this month to April 7.
Helm, 56, was charged with five counts of vehicular homicide in connection with the Nov. 1, 2005, collision on U.S. 395 north of Spokane.
Helm was heading north in his 1999 Ford F-250 pickup when he crossed into oncoming lanes and crashed head-on into a 1986 Ford pickup driven by 39-year-old Jeffrey Schrock, investigators said.
Helm and Schrock suffered serious injuries but have since recovered.
Killed were Carmen, 12; Jana, 10; Carinna, 8; Jerryl, 5 and Craig, 2.
Six weeks after the crash, Schrock’s wife, Carolyn Schrock – who was not in the truck – gave birth to a baby girl, Jolynn.
The Schrocks, who live near Chewelah, have told prosecutors that they don’t want Helm to face trial for what they called a tragic accident.
Diocese details bankruptcy plan
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane filed court papers further detailing a $48 million plan to end its bankruptcy by paying victims and lawyers and by restructuring how parishes are operated.
The disclosure statement submitted Thursday acts as a prospectus, soliciting support for the sweeping plan that calls on parishes to secure $16 million in notes.
It does not detail exactly how the diocese and parishes envision financing any shortfall from fund-raising efforts. The diocese filed for bankruptcy in December 2004.
Read the disclosure statement and plan of reorganization.
Expected chill hangs back
Arctic air that had been forecast to move over the Inland Northwest on Thursday remained well to the east of the region, reducing the risk of single-digit temperatures for the early hours of today and again tonight, forecasters said.
Highs in the upper 20s are expected in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene while tonight’s low is forecast to drop to 14 in both cities. After that, temperatures should rebound to near seasonal norms by Sunday when highs in the mid-30s are predicted.
Milder air moving into the region at higher elevations on Sunday could bring a 50 percent risk of rain or snow to Spokane and Coeur d’Alene and a 50 percent chance of snow in the mountainous areas of Northeast Washington and North Idaho.
Boise
Bank robber gets life in prison
A Boise man who admitted robbing nine banks during a methamphetamine-fueled crime spree last year will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Alan Lee Brandt was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole Wednesday for the rash of robberies, which netted him about $57,000. Brandt fired a gun in at least three of the holdups.
Brandt pleaded guilty in December to nine counts of robbery and six counts of using a gun in the commission of a robbery. He was arrested in August after robbing a First Bank near downtown.
Helena
Bill supports future bear, wolf hunts
A Senate committee unanimously endorsed legislation Thursday that would allow the hunting of wolves and grizzly bears in Montana once the animals are removed from federal protections.
The bill by Sen. Joe Balyeat, R-Bozeman, drew no opposition in a Senate Fish and Game Committee hearing and is backed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. It now goes to the Senate floor for further debate.
“Will this solve the wolf problem? Unfortunately, no. … But I do believe it’s one piece of the puzzle to try to control their numbers,” Balyeat said.
Wolves were reintroduced to the northern Rockies a decade ago after being hunted to near-extinction. More than 1,200 now live in the region.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday announced plans to remove the animals from federal protections within the next year and put Idaho, Montana and Wyoming in charge of their management, although Wyoming could be excluded from that process if it can’t resolve a dispute over its management plan.
Grizzlies surrounding Yellowstone National Park have been protected for 30 years.
But they could be removed from federal protections in a matter of months, said Chris Smith, chief of staff for Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
In Idaho, wolf advocates have criticized Gov. Butch Otter’s announcement that he favors killing all but 100 of the state’s 650 wolves in public hunts, calling it a recipe for relisting.