Spokane region accidents cause death, injuries

Law enforcement officers and medics responded to three accidents in the Spokane area today, including a fatal accident involving a motorcyclist south of the city. A 47-year-old Spokane man was killed when his motorcycle struck a guardrail on U.S. Highway 195 just north of Rosalia, according to the Washington State Patrol. Paul E. Ganoung died at the scene after he struck the rail and was thrown from his Harley Davidson motorcycle, the WSP said. He was wearing a helmet. The call to WSP came in at about 7:52 a.m. and the highway was blocked in both directions for about three hours while troopers cleared the scene. In an earlier accident, a teen was injured when she was struck by a pickup as she ran across Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley. The 15-year-old girl received numerous fractures — none life-threatening — and was taken to a local hospital, after she ran across the street against the light about 6:45 a.m. and was hit by a Ford pickup driven by Nathan Birdsall, 23, of Coeur d’Alene, Spokane Valley Police said. The intersection of Sullivan Road and Fourth Avenue was blocked for a couple hours during rush hour while investigators collected evidence at the scene of the accident. Another accident at 6:52 a.m. occurred on Trent Avenue east of Barker Road when two vehicles collided head on, causing injuries to occupants. Troopers were on the scene of that accident. A dispatcher said that the injuries were initially believed to be not life threatening.