In brief: Fire debris forces closure of highway

Flaming trees, boulders and other debris that were loosened by fire and sent rolling onto a state highway north of here forced the closure Tuesday of a 14-mile section of road.

The Chief Parrish wildfire began Monday night, doubled in size overnight and has so far blackened more than 3 1/2 square miles in an area four miles south of Banks and along steep, forested slopes near state Highway 55.

Authorities closed the highway section Tuesday afternoon. Early in the day, the fire was burning up the Payette River Canyon toward Banks.

So far, no structures are threatened and no evacuations have been ordered.

Meanwhile, fire managers declared the Castle Rock fire, burning near the posh resort town of Ketchum, 100 percent contained.

That fire, caused by a series of lightning strikes in mid August, burned 78 square miles, forced the evacuations of more than 2,000 homes and came within 50 yards of a $12 million Sun Valley ski lodge atop Bald Mountain.

U.S. attorney funding urged

Law enforcement agents, including Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, on Tuesday called on state lawmakers next session to continue money for a special assistant U.S. attorney post created this year to help lock up gang members in federal prisons outside Idaho.

So far, seven gang members’ cases have gone to sentencing and 24 are under indictment in the program that’s being paid for this year with $25,000 from the state and $75,000 from Treasure Valley cities and counties.

Renewed state funding from the 2008 Legislature will be necessary to help keep the program afloat, Wasden said at a news conference outside the federal courthouse in Boise.

Since Idaho doesn’t have a federal prison, gang members are sent to other states, including California, Oregon and Washington – far away from Idaho where officials fear they would be able to continue to direct gang activity if they were sentenced under state laws and confined in a state prison.

Spokane

Murder suspected in man’s death

Police believe a man whose body was found Monday evening was a victim of homicide.

A citizen found William R. Nichols’ body about 5:15 p.m. Monday underneath a “No Trespassing” sign near Wellesley Avenue and Havana Street, in a grassy area at the base of Beacon Hill in Hillyard, said Spokane police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe.

Sgt. Joe Peterson said Nichols was likely killed Friday or Saturday. Police are interviewing several people about the case and have served one search warrant in relation to it, Peterson said.

DeRuwe wouldn’t say why police believe Nichols died from homicidal violence, but he is in their system because of past criminal activity.

Spokane

Wedding-death suspect gives up

A man wanted by Spokane County sheriff’s detectives following the death of his friend at a recent wedding turned himself in Tuesday to face vehicular homicide and fatal hit-and-run charges, his attorney said.

Brandon N. Peterson, 25, was taken into custody Tuesday morning, his attorney John Clark said. Peterson is charged in connection with the death of Daniel Taylor, who fell from Peterson’s 2006 Dodge Ram on Aug. 25.

According to witnesses, Taylor jumped into the back of Peterson’s truck and started jumping up and down. As Peterson and his girlfriend pulled away, Taylor fell and landed on his head on the pavement. He suffered a brain injury and died the next day.

Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan said in a previous press release that witnesses saw both Taylor and Peterson drinking at the wedding reception inside the hall and in the parking lot of CenterPlace event center at 2426 N. Discovery Place.