Motorcyclist dies after hitting deer
A man from British Columbia died Sunday after his motorcycle crashed into a deer in Boundary County. Graham F. Phillips, 63, was thrown from his motorcycle and landed on the pavement after striking the deer, according to the Idaho State Police.
The crash occurred at 2:23 p.m. as Phillips was westbound on State Highway 1 on a 2005 Yamaha. Phillips came over a small rise and encountered a deer in the roadway at milepost 4, where he struck the deer, according to an ISP news release.
Newport, Wash.
State suspends doctor’s license
Washington health officials have suspended a doctor’s medical license amid allegations of unprofessional and negligent treatment of four patients while working at Newport Hospital & Health Services.
The physician, Dr. George Mathew, worked as a traveling doctor and saw patients in the hospital’s emergency room. The hospital suspended his privileges, too, based on incompetence, negligence and potential malpractice, according to the Washington state Department of Health and the Medical Quality Assurance Commission.
In a statement of charges against Mathew, DOH listed four incidents, including a 27-year-old woman with cuts in her leg from a motorboat propeller. Her wound was not closed, leading to excessive bleeding through a bandage. Other cases involved two patients who waited hours for treatment and another whose injuries weren’t fully treated.
A hearing will be held to determine if Mathew’s license will be reinstated.
Read the statement of charges with this story at www.spokesmanreview.com.
Spokane
Kids’ fireworks suspected in fire
A small brush fire in Liberty Park reportedly sparked by kids setting off fireworks was quickly extinguished by Spokane firefighters Monday afternoon.
Crews that responded to the call about 4:30 p.m. upgraded it to a second-alarm fire as the flames spread to trees and brush, but the park’s rocky terrain helped quell it within half an hour, Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Hanna said. Hanna estimated the fire at two to four acres.
A fire investigator was en route Monday night to interview a group of boys seen playing with fireworks in the park.
Spokane County
Man arrested after buying spree
A 48-year-old transient was charged with forgery and two counts of first-degree identity theft after an investigation revealed that he used a man’s stolen identity to purchase a large-screen TV, laptop computer, cell phone, Sony PlayStation and new clothes while test-driving a new car, a Spokane County sheriff’s spokesman said.
Timothy J. Rudzinski’s shopping spree came to an end Saturday when an employee of Highway 2 Auto became suspicious and called the phone number belonging to the name given on the test-drive documentation.
That man, age 43, didn’t know anything about test-driving a car but told the auto sales employee that his briefcase had been stolen from his car Thursday in downtown Spokane.
Deputy Jennifer Sutter told the sales employee to call if the suspect returned the car, which Rudzinski did at about 2 p.m. A search of the car turned up all the merchandise, plus a black briefcase.
When deputies booked Rudzinski on the felony identity theft charges, they learned Montana authorities had issued a felony arrest warrant for him there, so he was booked on an additional charge of fugitive from justice.
Coeur d’Alene
Comment sought on roads funding
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter is inviting the public to a meeting on Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. in Coeur d’Alene, so people can find out about the state’s transportation funding shortfall and have their say on how to address it.
“We’re seeking input from folks,” said Otter’s press secretary, Jon Hanian. “We want to hear what their concerns are, as well as what they think some of the solutions ought to be.”
The governor’s staff and state transportation officials will meet with area legislators, local governments, business leaders, highway district officials and others from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the public meeting will be from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Best Western Coeur d’Alene Inn.
The forum is part of a series to be held around the state. The first was Monday in Caldwell, and the third will be Thursday in Lewiston, followed by several southern Idaho sessions.
Tacoma
Man charged in hit-and-run death
Pierce County prosecutors have charged a man in the hit-and-run death of a woman run down by a car while walking home from lunch.
Pleas of not guilty were entered on behalf of 40-year-old Anthony Paul Cisco during his arraignment on Monday in Superior Court. Cisco was charged with vehicular homicide, failure to remain at the scene of an accident and driving without a license in the Friday afternoon death of 43-year-old Rebecca Ann Wilkie-Moore. Wilkie-Moore was hit by a Mazda RX7.
The victim was the mother of two who made her living by delivering newspapers for the News Tribune.
Judge James Orlando ordered Cisco jailed in lieu of $150,000 at the request of prosecutors.
Issaquah, Wash.
Paraglider’s death ruled heart failure
A man whose paraglider crashed into a tree near Issaquah, Wash., died from heart failure.
King County sheriff’s Sgt. John Urquhart says the paraglider pilot – who has been identified as 58-year-old Eric Jansen – crashed into the tree about 4:30 p.m. Friday.
From staff and wire reports