In brief: Wilderness area closed due to fire

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. – The 30-acre lightning-caused Granite Mountain fire, burning 19 miles west of Leavenworth, has prompted trail and area closures around Klonaqua Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area. The area, about 7 square miles, is closed to public entry. Trail closures include Klonaqua Lakes Trail No. 1563 and French Creek Trail No. 1595 from its intersection with Snowall Creek Trail No. 1560 to its intersection with Paddy-Go-Easy Pass Trail.

Signs about the fire and trail closures will be posted at trailheads leading into the closed area.

The fire was started by a lightning storm that passed through north-central Washington on Sunday.

Ex-Microsoft worker faces rape charge

SEATTLE – A now-former program manager at Microsoft has been charged with raping a cleaning woman on the company’s campus in Redmond.

Seattlepi.com reported that 36-year-old Vineet Kumar Srivastava is accused of luring the woman into his office late at night on July 22, slamming her to the floor and raping her as she screamed.

According to a probable cause statement filed by a Redmond police detective, Srivastava told investigators he was afraid of the woman and that it was she who forced him to have sex.

A detective wrote that the bruised woman reported the crime to her immediate supervisor, who ignored it. Another supervisor learned of the allegations a day later and called police.

Srivastava, who faces a charge of second-degree rape, is free on $75,000 bail. A Microsoft spokeswoman said he no longer works there.

Srivastava did not immediately return a call from the Associated Press on Tuesday.

Robbery suspect tackled by pursuers

An Everett police spokesman said people noticed when a man approached a Wells Fargo bank branch, pulled his shirt up to cover most of his face and walked inside. Passers-by called police.

Spokesman Aaron Snell said when the man ran out of the bank carrying cash Tuesday afternoon, the witnesses gave chase.

Snell said the man ran into a parked car and dropped the money. By that time, the group of about six pursuers had caught up and tackled him, holding him until police arrived.

The man was arrested. Snell said he expected the man would be booked into jail for investigation of first-degree robbery.

Suspect floats down to awaiting police

OMAK, Wash. – An Omak robbery suspect picked a bad time to try to escape authorities by jumping into the Okanogan River.

“Tribal police had a boat in the river just downstream from where he jumped in,” said Sgt. Jeff Koplin with the Omak Police Department. “He basically floated down, and they plucked him out of the water.”

Police arrested Kyle S. Cate, 21, on suspicion of first-degree robbery and third-degree theft. Cate was arrested after a man took merchandise from Wal-Mart, then became combative with security officers and ran away to the nearby river, Koplin said.

Screens installed on ‘suicide bridge’

PORTLAND – Workers have started installing temporary, 9-foot-tall screens to prevent more suicides on Portland’s Vista Bridge.

Four people, including a 15-year-old girl, have jumped to their deaths from the bridge this year.

Trained volunteers wearing orange vests began patrolling the bridge in late July to prevent more deaths.