In brief: Four people injured in Highway 2 crash
Four people were injured Wednesday night and U.S. Highway 2 in North Spokane was blocked for several hours when a motor home turned in front of a passenger car and was hit, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The 1973 Dodge motor home, driven by Sharon Ferg, 50, of Spokane, rolled onto its side after the crash, the WSP reported. Ferg and her passenger, Aaron Kreitz, 23, of Airway Heights, were wearing seat belts but injured and taken to Providence Holy Family Hospital.
The car that hit the motor home, a 2014 Nissan Versa, was driven by Roger Tracy, 74, of Elk. He and his passenger, Jennie Tracy, 73, of Elk, were wearing seat belts but were injured and taken to Holy Family.
The crash occurred around 10 p.m.
Holy Family officials said Thursday they had no information on Ferg, Kreitz and Roger Tracy. Jennie Tracy was listed in satisfactory condition Thursday.
The WSP said Ferg was southbound in the motor home on Highway 2 near Nevada Street when she attempted to turn left and was hit by the northbound Nissan.
Ferg will face charges of driving with a suspended license and no insurance, the WSP said.
Idaho towns must cut air pollution
The state of Idaho has two years to work with Silver Valley communities to create a plan to reduce air pollution in the towns of Pinehurst, Smelterville and Kellogg.
The towns exceed federal air quality standards for fine particulates, tiny particles that can cause serious health problems, including heart attacks, respiratory problems and premature death in people with heart and lung disease.
The pollutants spike during the winter heating season when people are using wood stoves, and during the spring and fall prescribed fire season on timberlands, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
State officials must submit a pollution reduction plan to EPA by fall 2016. The area has until December 2021 to come into compliance with federal air quality standards.
Man sentenced in pornography case
A 31-year-old man was sentenced to five years in federal prison this month after pleading guilty to distributing child pornography via the Internet from his parent’s home in Chattaroy.
Casey E. Murdock was arrested in December 2013 after undercover FBI agents downloaded multiple child pornography images using a file transfer program from a user tied to Murdock’s home, according to court documents. Murdock was questioned there in early 2012, when he admitted to downloading and sharing pornographic images, records show. Agents seized several encrypted hard drives during the search.
Murdock will have to register as a sex offender for life and is barred from working with children under 18 without the approval of a parole officer, according to the terms of a plea deal he accepted in September. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop one of the criminal counts against him in exchange for his plea.
At a sentencing hearing held last week, family members described Murdock as a technical whiz whose actions were out of character. The 31-year-old is not in custody and will be allowed to self-report to prison.