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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Mining company fined for water pollution

Crown Resources Corp. was fined $40,000 for violating its water discharge permit at the Buckhorn Mountain gold mine in northern Okanogan County.

The Washington Department of Ecology cited the company for failing to adequately capture and treat water from the underground mine operation. The company discharges wastewater and storm water to streams, including Gold Bowl, Nicholson and Marias creeks.

Seepage from the mine workings has been found in groundwater monitoring wells and streams, according to the Ecology Department. The samples showed elevated levels of the pollutants chloride, nitrate and sulfates.

The violation occurred over a 10-month period, starting in June.

Crown Resources must take action to correct the problems. The company has 30 days to pay the penalty or file an appeal.

Becky Kramer

Spokane

Alleged racing accident nets charges

An 18-year-old motorist is facing two charges of vehicular assault following what police said was a car race Monday night that led to the serious injury of a passenger in a second car.

Vitaliy P. Aleksandrov was booked Tuesday into Spokane County Jail on two counts of vehicular assault.

The second driver, a 16-year-old boy, suffered a broken collarbone and bruised lung and was being treated at a Spokane hospital. A passenger riding with the 16-year-old was in serious but stable condition in intensive care with a broken neck, a bruised lung and a cut on his head.

The 16-year-old is facing one juvenile count of vehicular assault in connection with the injury to his passenger.

Police reported that the 10:42 p.m. accident at Third Avenue and Madelia Street in east Spokane occurred as Aleksandrov in a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse and the 16-year-old in a BMW 330 were racing eastbound on Third.

The 16-year-old lost control of his vehicle, causing it to roll and land in a yard at 311 S. Madelia St. Aleksandrov stopped at the scene. A police news release said there was no indication of impairment, “just bad judgment.”

Mike Prager