In brief: Five injured in crash; alcohol, speed cited
GEORGE, Wash. – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said two men suffered broken necks and three others were also injured when their car rolled over after failing to negotiate a curve near George.
Alcohol and speed were cited as factors.
Investigators said 22-year-old Christian Beener, of Federal Way, was driving a 1997 Subaru on Road 1 at about 12:30 a.m. Friday when the car left the roadway and rolled over one and a half times. Beener sustained a broken wrist.
Two male passengers – a 22-year-old from Federal Way and a 28-year-old from Tacoma – suffered broken necks and were transported to Central Washington Hospital. One other passenger suffered a broken leg and another just had bumps and bruises.
All of the men were wearing seat belts.
Idaho GOP divided over event speaker
IDAHO FALLS – An organizer for an Idaho Republican Party fundraiser in southeast Idaho said she’s having trouble selling tickets because the main speaker is a tea party activist from Washington, D.C., rather than an Idaho candidate.
Marsha Bjornn served as the GOP Region 7 chairwoman for 15 years.
She said her replacement, Bryan Smith, brushed aside opinions of traditional Republicans in selecting Matt Kibbe, of Freedom Works.
Smith countered that having someone of Kibbe’s caliber will be a major draw for the fundraiser and a feather in the party’s cap.
Kibbe is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Aug. 28 event in Idaho Falls.
Chemical tanker still adrift after fire
CAPE BLANCO, Ore. – U.S. Coast Guard experts have been unable to restart the engines of a chemical tanker after a deadly fire left it adrift 700 miles off the Oregon coast.
Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener said Saturday damage from an engine-room fire was too severe to restore the vessel’s on-board systems. One crew member was killed after a fire on Wednesday left the vessel unable to move.
A tug is expected to arrive Monday to tow the 485-foot Bahamian-flagged vessel to a U.S. port, Degener said.
Lawyer sentenced after client scam
SEATTLE – A Seattle lawyer who scammed a disabled client out of $360,000 has been sentenced to two years in prison.
Edward Joseph Callow represented a client who was permanently disabled in a car wreck. Nationwide Insurance agreed to pay her a $25,000 advance, plus a $500,000 settlement. But Callow told her the settlement was for only $250,000, and that he would keep one-third of that for attorney’s fees. He also kept the advance.
Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said Callow fled the U.S. in December and was captured in Taiwan. He pleaded guilty in July to five felonies, including conspiracy and theft.
Former Nationwide claims associate Fairborz Rahrovi also has been charged and is awaiting trial. Authorities said he and Callow shared the money that was owed to Callow’s client.
A King County Superior Court judge sentenced Callow on Friday. He was also ordered to pay his client’s legal fees and restitution.
Police gear taken from deputy’s house
WATERVILLE, Wash. – Several police gear items were taken Thursday from a Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy’s house near Waterville.
The deputy reported the burglary at his residence after returning home at about 5:20 p.m.
Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal said it was not known if the deputy was targeted, or whether the burglars knew they were entering a deputy’s home.
Items taken included two “Point Blank” bullet-proof vests, a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office marine patrol bag with diving equipment, a large camouflage backpack with hunting equipment, four folding knives, a box of 300 Ultra mag ammunition, a wedding ring, a gold braided chain, two boxes with jewelry and a jar of change.