Region in brief: Wounded deputy dies after Pierce shooting

SEATTLE – One of two officers shot in an ambush last week by a drunken man in Pierce County died Monday after being taken off life support, becoming the sixth police officer to die from gunfire in the state in less than two months.

Pierce County sheriff’s Deputy Kent Mundell, 44, died with his family at his side shortly after 5 p.m., said sheriff’s office spokesman Ed Troyer, tears welling up in his eyes. “When they pulled the life support off of him, he went very quickly,” Troyer said.

Police say David E. Crable, 35, shot Mundell and Sgt. Nick Hausner, 43, as the officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at the home of Crable’s brother near Eatonville, in the Cascade foothills about 50 miles south of Seattle on Dec. 21. Family members called to have an intoxicated Crable removed.

Crable, who police said has a history of domestic violence, was killed in a subsequent shootout with Hausner and Mundell. Hausner recovered from his injury and visited Mundell on Christmas Eve. Troyer said Hausner, who is recovering at home, was notified of Mundell’s death soon after it happened.

Stagnant air prompts North Idaho burn ban

Outdoor burning has been banned in North Idaho through Wednesday because of stagnant air conditions that were caused by a layer of cold air at lower elevations.

The ban is in effect for Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone and Benewah counties.

It does not include indoor residential burning, but officials are asking residents to burn cleanly.

Air quality had slipped into the moderate range Monday, officials said.

In Spokane, air quality declined to moderately polluted, and indoor burning was being allowed.

The National Weather Service has extended an air stagnation advisory through 10 a.m. Wednesday for all of Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

Higher air pressure in the upper atmosphere has caused colder air to become trapped below 3,000 feet in elevation in a temperature inversion that is typical during periods of calm weather in the winter.

Sunday crash kills man on West Monroe Road

A 19-year-old Spokane County man died Sunday when he was thrown from his vehicle as it went off West Monroe Road in northern Spokane County.

Sammy O. Alurfali, of the Fairwood area, was not wearing a seat belt, Spokane sheriff’s officials said Monday. The crash occurred just after midnight.

An autopsy found that he died of a head injury.

He was traveling east when his 2007 Suzuki Forenza crossed into the westbound lane, back into the eastbound lane and lost control on a curve.

Investigators estimated the car was traveling 70 mph in a 45 mph zone.