P-I STAFF
King County prosecutors charged a 23-year-old Ravensdale man with second-degree murder Wednesday in the shooting death of his friend.
Prosecutors say David Dunn killed Kelly Culp, 47, on Feb. 21, soon after the two picked up breakfast at McDonald's and returned to Culp's Maple Valley house.
Dunn had been doing occasional mechanic work for Culp, who sold used cars and did odd jobs for a repair shop, according to a police document filed in court.
After Culp was found dead with a gunshot wound to the back of the head, King County sheriff's detectives tracked Dunn through surveillance videos and interviews.
Speaking as if referring to a dream, Dunn admitted to police that he killed his friend with a bolt-action rifle, which he said he may have tossed, the court document said.
Police later found Culp's laptop computer under Dunn's bed. No motive for the killing was detailed in the charging papers.
Dunn, who has a juvenile conviction for child molestation, remained in custody on $1 million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned March 10.
Experienced legal counsel to cannabis businesses, entrepreneurs, and patients.
Seattle, Washington (206) 728-0200
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Prosecutors won't file felony charges in fatal bike accident
By Seattle Times staff
Prosecutors have decided not to file felony charges against a driver whose dump truck killed 19-year-old bicyclist Bryce Lewis last summer near Seattle's University Bridge.
The truck was turning right, on a green light, from northbound Eastlake Avenue East to Fuhrman Avenue East on Sept. 7. Lewis and a friend were riding straight in the bike lane of Eastlake, toward the bridge, when the truck rolled into their path. There is no evidence the driver was drunk, using drugs or speeding, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Witnesses said the trucker was using his turn signal, and apparently did not see the cyclists approaching, Donohoe said. The case is being referred to the city attorney's office for a potential misdemeanor charge.
Prosecutors have decided not to file felony charges against a driver whose dump truck killed 19-year-old bicyclist Bryce Lewis last summer near Seattle's University Bridge.
The truck was turning right, on a green light, from northbound Eastlake Avenue East to Fuhrman Avenue East on Sept. 7. Lewis and a friend were riding straight in the bike lane of Eastlake, toward the bridge, when the truck rolled into their path. There is no evidence the driver was drunk, using drugs or speeding, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Witnesses said the trucker was using his turn signal, and apparently did not see the cyclists approaching, Donohoe said. The case is being referred to the city attorney's office for a potential misdemeanor charge.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Renton man faces murder charge in party shooting
P-I STAFF
An 18-year-old Renton man accused of shooting another young man at a South Seattle party last month was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder.
Jonathan James Hall will be arraigned March 4 in King County Superior Court in the Jan. 26 death of Perry Henderson, also 18.
Police say the two men had been feuding over a young woman for weeks before they got into an argument outside the party. Henderson took of his shirt and got ready to fight, but several people pulled him away.
Police say Henderson eventually broke free, threw a rock at the young woman's car and kicked Hall's car as they drove past him. Hall is accused of firing at Henderson, shooting him at least four times.
An 18-year-old Renton man accused of shooting another young man at a South Seattle party last month was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder.
Jonathan James Hall will be arraigned March 4 in King County Superior Court in the Jan. 26 death of Perry Henderson, also 18.
Police say the two men had been feuding over a young woman for weeks before they got into an argument outside the party. Henderson took of his shirt and got ready to fight, but several people pulled him away.
Police say Henderson eventually broke free, threw a rock at the young woman's car and kicked Hall's car as they drove past him. Hall is accused of firing at Henderson, shooting him at least four times.
Online chats lead to arrest in rape of Bellevue teen
By JANE McCARTHY / KING 5 News
BELLEVUE, Wash. - Detectives say online chats proved to be key evidence in a case of a Bellevue teen who was raped four times.
The path to the crime began online, when the 16-year-old victim began chatting with the 17-year-old suspects on MySpace.com.
After a while, she thought they'd become friends, and they convinced her to meet them.
They provided her with alcohol, according to detectives, and she consumed a great deal of it in a short amount of time, to the point where she was unable to make any decisions or resist.
That's when the boys pulled their car into a dark parking lot in Bellevue, the victim - and later one of the suspects - told police.
"She was there raped by all four males in the back of the car they were riding in," said Greg Grannis, spokesperson for the Bellevue Police Department.
The suspects might have gotten away with it, but police served a search warrant on the suspects' MySpace pages. Police discovered the chat logs, which then led to the four arrests.
The victim was able to point police to the suspects' MySpace pages, where court documents say they "callously bragged about the assault," and wrote that they "feared (the victim) would contact the police and said they would kill her if she did."
"Not only did they talk about the crime they committed, but they thought that it had worked so well, that they might try it again with another victim," Grannis said.
Allan Kush, of the Internet safety group Wiredsafety.org, is not surprised by the case. He describes a certain naiveté among young online users.
"Because they're very trusting and they think they click, you know, that type of thing," he said. "But what ends up happening are things they never expected or dreamt of."
He says parents must monitor their child's online activities and make it clear that it's never OK to meet privately with someone they've met online.
All four suspects are 17 years old, and have been charged as juveniles.
However, based on the seriousness of the crime, the King County prosecutor may decide to charge them as adults instead.
BELLEVUE, Wash. - Detectives say online chats proved to be key evidence in a case of a Bellevue teen who was raped four times.
The path to the crime began online, when the 16-year-old victim began chatting with the 17-year-old suspects on MySpace.com.
After a while, she thought they'd become friends, and they convinced her to meet them.
They provided her with alcohol, according to detectives, and she consumed a great deal of it in a short amount of time, to the point where she was unable to make any decisions or resist.
That's when the boys pulled their car into a dark parking lot in Bellevue, the victim - and later one of the suspects - told police.
"She was there raped by all four males in the back of the car they were riding in," said Greg Grannis, spokesperson for the Bellevue Police Department.
The suspects might have gotten away with it, but police served a search warrant on the suspects' MySpace pages. Police discovered the chat logs, which then led to the four arrests.
The victim was able to point police to the suspects' MySpace pages, where court documents say they "callously bragged about the assault," and wrote that they "feared (the victim) would contact the police and said they would kill her if she did."
"Not only did they talk about the crime they committed, but they thought that it had worked so well, that they might try it again with another victim," Grannis said.
Allan Kush, of the Internet safety group Wiredsafety.org, is not surprised by the case. He describes a certain naiveté among young online users.
"Because they're very trusting and they think they click, you know, that type of thing," he said. "But what ends up happening are things they never expected or dreamt of."
He says parents must monitor their child's online activities and make it clear that it's never OK to meet privately with someone they've met online.
All four suspects are 17 years old, and have been charged as juveniles.
However, based on the seriousness of the crime, the King County prosecutor may decide to charge them as adults instead.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Applebee's waitress arrested in credit card scam
By LINDA BRILL / KING 5 News
LAKEWOOD, Wash. – Police have arrested an Applebee's waitress for stealing customers' credit card numbers. Eight victims have been identified and police are still looking for three other suspects involved in the operation.
Police are telling customers who ate at the Lakewood Applebee's during the holiday season to take a good look at their credit card bills. They say the waitress skimmed some customers' credit cards.
"Somewhere between taking the credit card, running it to pay for the meal and returning the credit card, she would slide the card through what is called a skimmer. It's a little electronic device that can be palmed easily and hidden easily, and what that device would do would copy all the information that's on the magnetic strip on the back of the credit cards," said Sgt. Mike Zaro, Lakewood Police. "Something like this takes seconds to swipe a card through a skimmer and steal all of your information."
The waitress allegedly passed those numbers on to three men who made false credit cards.
Surveillance video from a Spanaway Wal-Mart shows a man who police say bought a game system using a fraudulent credit card obtained through the scam. More surveillance video from the Lakewood Wal-Mart shows two men buying a flat-screen TV with another phony credit card.
If you recognize the suspects or ate at the Lakewood Applebee's between December and January and you notice something wrong with your credit card bill, contact Lakewood Police.
The waitress and three other suspects are being investigated for felony identity theft, forgery and fraud.
LAKEWOOD, Wash. – Police have arrested an Applebee's waitress for stealing customers' credit card numbers. Eight victims have been identified and police are still looking for three other suspects involved in the operation.
Police are telling customers who ate at the Lakewood Applebee's during the holiday season to take a good look at their credit card bills. They say the waitress skimmed some customers' credit cards.
"Somewhere between taking the credit card, running it to pay for the meal and returning the credit card, she would slide the card through what is called a skimmer. It's a little electronic device that can be palmed easily and hidden easily, and what that device would do would copy all the information that's on the magnetic strip on the back of the credit cards," said Sgt. Mike Zaro, Lakewood Police. "Something like this takes seconds to swipe a card through a skimmer and steal all of your information."
The waitress allegedly passed those numbers on to three men who made false credit cards.
Surveillance video from a Spanaway Wal-Mart shows a man who police say bought a game system using a fraudulent credit card obtained through the scam. More surveillance video from the Lakewood Wal-Mart shows two men buying a flat-screen TV with another phony credit card.
If you recognize the suspects or ate at the Lakewood Applebee's between December and January and you notice something wrong with your credit card bill, contact Lakewood Police.
The waitress and three other suspects are being investigated for felony identity theft, forgery and fraud.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Riot erupts on Evergreen College campus
By CHRIS DANIELS / KING 5 News
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Thurston County Sheriff's deputies have sent blood and fingerprint samples to the state crime lab in their quest to find suspects in an early Friday morning riot at Evergreen State College in Olympia.
Roughly 200 people were involved in the melee on the campus following a rap concert in the school gym. Sheriff's deputies made no arrests in the riot, but they want to hold someone accountable.
Authorities claim this was far more serious than first reported, that concert goers tried to grab guns from deputy holsters, pelted them with rocks and caused a fair amount of destruction at the campus.
Video captured by The Olympian newspaper shows the wild scene just before 2 a.m. SWAT teams stormed the Evergreen State College campus after a mob overturned a deputy's cruiser.
Alvina Wong was at the Dead Prez concert inside the school gym and watched as an Evergreen campus officer broke up a fight and tried to arrest one of the participants, which sparked a mob mentality.
"The crowd just kept getting bigger and bigger," said Wong. "The band did kind of egg it on and questioned why he was being detained."
"From what I understand the band was encouraging people to take care of the situation to stop the person from making the arrest," said Trooper Brandy Kessler, Washington State Patrol.
A group of concertgoers surrounded the officer, causing her to call for backup. When Thurston County Sheriff's deputies arrived, they say they found a group of 200 people, some throwing rocks, garbage cans and bent on destruction.
"The gang just went at the car and tore it up," said Wong.
A sheriff's deputy's car got tagged, its windows smashed, and was flipped over. Vandals tagged two college buildings. Three other cop cars also suffered minor damage.
A SWAT team tear gassed the group and the mob left the area. The college believes the group was not made up entirely of evergreen students.
"The crowed for this event came from all over the entire region," said Jason Wettstein, Evergreen State College. "The original person who started the fight wasn't even an Evergreen student."
One student said the rap act Dead Prez did not encourage the crowd.
The one police cruiser is a complete loss. It was also looted. A police laptop and radar gun were missing, but no one was seriously injured and no weapons were taken.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Thurston County Sheriff's deputies have sent blood and fingerprint samples to the state crime lab in their quest to find suspects in an early Friday morning riot at Evergreen State College in Olympia.
Roughly 200 people were involved in the melee on the campus following a rap concert in the school gym. Sheriff's deputies made no arrests in the riot, but they want to hold someone accountable.
Authorities claim this was far more serious than first reported, that concert goers tried to grab guns from deputy holsters, pelted them with rocks and caused a fair amount of destruction at the campus.
Video captured by The Olympian newspaper shows the wild scene just before 2 a.m. SWAT teams stormed the Evergreen State College campus after a mob overturned a deputy's cruiser.
Alvina Wong was at the Dead Prez concert inside the school gym and watched as an Evergreen campus officer broke up a fight and tried to arrest one of the participants, which sparked a mob mentality.
"The crowd just kept getting bigger and bigger," said Wong. "The band did kind of egg it on and questioned why he was being detained."
"From what I understand the band was encouraging people to take care of the situation to stop the person from making the arrest," said Trooper Brandy Kessler, Washington State Patrol.
A group of concertgoers surrounded the officer, causing her to call for backup. When Thurston County Sheriff's deputies arrived, they say they found a group of 200 people, some throwing rocks, garbage cans and bent on destruction.
"The gang just went at the car and tore it up," said Wong.
A sheriff's deputy's car got tagged, its windows smashed, and was flipped over. Vandals tagged two college buildings. Three other cop cars also suffered minor damage.
A SWAT team tear gassed the group and the mob left the area. The college believes the group was not made up entirely of evergreen students.
"The crowed for this event came from all over the entire region," said Jason Wettstein, Evergreen State College. "The original person who started the fight wasn't even an Evergreen student."
One student said the rap act Dead Prez did not encourage the crowd.
The one police cruiser is a complete loss. It was also looted. A police laptop and radar gun were missing, but no one was seriously injured and no weapons were taken.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Recent Washington Court Decisions
State v. Lilyblad: The Washington Supreme Court held that under RCW 9.61.230, the telephone harassment statute, an intent to harass must be formed prior to the initiation of the telephone call for a guilty finding to ensue. The decision may be viewed at: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/791147.opn.pdf
State v. Quinliven: The Division Three Court of Appeals affirmed that a vehicle may not be searched pursuant to the search incident to arrest exception to the warrant requirement when the suspect has, prior to the arrest, exited his vehicle and locked the car. Immediately after the stop in this case, Mr. Quinliven exited his vehicle, locked it, and sat on the curb, refusing to give the deputy the keys to the vehicle. His subsequent conviction for possession of methamphetamine was overturned when the court found that this action barred Mr. Quinliven from having access to the passenger compartment of his vehicle and negated the need for a search of the truck incident to arrest. The decision may be viewed at: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/257967.opn.doc.pdf
State v. Dow: The Division Two Court of Appeals upheld, albeit with some reservations, the constitutionality of RCW 10.58.035, allowing a defendant's trustworthy statement to be admitted as substantive evidence when the alleged victim of a crime has died or is incompetent to testify at trial. The decision may be viewed at: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/34802-1.08.doc.pdf
State v. Bello/Lopez: The Division One Court of Appeals upheld a search incident to arrest of a CD case within a vehicle that had been in the immediate reach of the passenger prior to his arrest when the driver made no assertion that the case belonged to him, not the passenger, prior to the search. The decision may be viewed at: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/58463-4.pub.doc.pdf
State v. Quinliven: The Division Three Court of Appeals affirmed that a vehicle may not be searched pursuant to the search incident to arrest exception to the warrant requirement when the suspect has, prior to the arrest, exited his vehicle and locked the car. Immediately after the stop in this case, Mr. Quinliven exited his vehicle, locked it, and sat on the curb, refusing to give the deputy the keys to the vehicle. His subsequent conviction for possession of methamphetamine was overturned when the court found that this action barred Mr. Quinliven from having access to the passenger compartment of his vehicle and negated the need for a search of the truck incident to arrest. The decision may be viewed at: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/257967.opn.doc.pdf
State v. Dow: The Division Two Court of Appeals upheld, albeit with some reservations, the constitutionality of RCW 10.58.035, allowing a defendant's trustworthy statement to be admitted as substantive evidence when the alleged victim of a crime has died or is incompetent to testify at trial. The decision may be viewed at: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/34802-1.08.doc.pdf
State v. Bello/Lopez: The Division One Court of Appeals upheld a search incident to arrest of a CD case within a vehicle that had been in the immediate reach of the passenger prior to his arrest when the driver made no assertion that the case belonged to him, not the passenger, prior to the search. The decision may be viewed at: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/58463-4.pub.doc.pdf
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Man sent to detox after showing up drunk at DUI hearing
By Peyton Whitely
Seattle Times Eastside bureau
A Woodinville man who went to court in Redmond to face a drunken-driving charge Monday showed up drunk at the hearing and ended up at a detox center instead.
King County District Court Judge Linda Jacke ordered Joseph T. Longfellow, 35, to take an alcohol breath test after his attorney informed her that Longfellow appeared to be intoxicated.
Longfellow recorded a 0.32 in a portable breath test at the courthouse — four times the state level for intoxication of 0.08, court filings note.
Jacke ordered Longfellow taken into custody, but jail guards refused to accept him after paramedics said he needed to be taken to a detox center to prevent possible alcohol poisoning.
The hearing was continued to Feb. 27 at the East Division of King County District Court in Redmond.
Longfellow was arrested Dec. 2 on Highway 202 near Sahalee Way east of Redmond after being involved in an accident in a construction zone, said Trooper Jeff Merrill, Washington State Patrol public-information officer.
He refused to submit to a Breathalyzer test, was charged with driving under the influence on Dec. 5, and pleaded not guilty.
Longfellow had pleaded guilty to another DUI case in Cascade District Court in Arlington, Snohomish County, in April 2003 and was sentenced to probation and a $1,915 fine. A check to pay the fine bounced in November 2003 and five years of court maneuvers followed.
Longfellow was supposed to appear in Cascade District Court in connection with that case on Tuesday, but he failed to show up and a $5,040 bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Longfellow's attorney, Gregory Fullington, says his client was taken to Harborview Medical Center on Monday and has since been discharged.
"He's getting into treatment," he said. "He knows he has a drinking problem."
Peyton Whitely: 206-464-2259 or pwhitely@seattletimes.com
Seattle Times Eastside bureau
A Woodinville man who went to court in Redmond to face a drunken-driving charge Monday showed up drunk at the hearing and ended up at a detox center instead.
King County District Court Judge Linda Jacke ordered Joseph T. Longfellow, 35, to take an alcohol breath test after his attorney informed her that Longfellow appeared to be intoxicated.
Longfellow recorded a 0.32 in a portable breath test at the courthouse — four times the state level for intoxication of 0.08, court filings note.
Jacke ordered Longfellow taken into custody, but jail guards refused to accept him after paramedics said he needed to be taken to a detox center to prevent possible alcohol poisoning.
The hearing was continued to Feb. 27 at the East Division of King County District Court in Redmond.
Longfellow was arrested Dec. 2 on Highway 202 near Sahalee Way east of Redmond after being involved in an accident in a construction zone, said Trooper Jeff Merrill, Washington State Patrol public-information officer.
He refused to submit to a Breathalyzer test, was charged with driving under the influence on Dec. 5, and pleaded not guilty.
Longfellow had pleaded guilty to another DUI case in Cascade District Court in Arlington, Snohomish County, in April 2003 and was sentenced to probation and a $1,915 fine. A check to pay the fine bounced in November 2003 and five years of court maneuvers followed.
Longfellow was supposed to appear in Cascade District Court in connection with that case on Tuesday, but he failed to show up and a $5,040 bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Longfellow's attorney, Gregory Fullington, says his client was taken to Harborview Medical Center on Monday and has since been discharged.
"He's getting into treatment," he said. "He knows he has a drinking problem."
Peyton Whitely: 206-464-2259 or pwhitely@seattletimes.com
Monday, February 11, 2008
WA bill requires yellow license plate for DUI drivers
By BERNARD CHOI / KING 5 News
SEATTLE – Drunk drivers in Washington state could soon have their own Scarlet Letter in the form of a fluorescent yellow license plate.
More than year after a drunk driver killed her niece, Jeri Mallory is still haunted by the memories.
"The thing I remember most was I don't remember when I told her I love you last and that just broke my heart," said Mallory.
She says what's worse is that drunk drivers keep getting behind the wheel.
"It's just unconscionable to me that they would do that," said Mallory.
Republican state senator Mike Carrell wants to target the conscience of would-be drunk drivers. He is sponsoring a bill that would require a person convicted of DUI to drive a vehicle with front and rear fluorescent yellow license plates.
Ohio started requiring the same thing four years ago.
"I believe shame will keep people from doing it. Looking at somebody who is driving around with a fluorescent yellow license plate should be a good reason for others to decide 'I don't want to have my neighbors knowing that I'm a drunk,'" said Carrell.
Under the proposal, if you're a convicted DUI offender and you're caught driving without the special license plate, you could be slapped with a misdemeanor.
But Mothers Against Drunk Driving says it's not in favor of the idea because there's no scientific data showing the special plates reduce drunk driving. Plus, innocent family members would have to ride in the car would bare the shame.
"I think sometimes shaming people is not the right thing to do," said Mallory.
Still, at Monday's senate committee hearing, Sen. Carrell said sometimes a little shame goes a long way.
"Giving the public knowledge of who might be out on the roads with them that might be potentially dangerous is a benefit to the public," said Carrell.
If the bill passes, DUI drivers would have to drive with the special plates for one year. There would be an exemption when driving work vehicles.
It would go effect January 1, 2009.
SEATTLE – Drunk drivers in Washington state could soon have their own Scarlet Letter in the form of a fluorescent yellow license plate.
More than year after a drunk driver killed her niece, Jeri Mallory is still haunted by the memories.
"The thing I remember most was I don't remember when I told her I love you last and that just broke my heart," said Mallory.
She says what's worse is that drunk drivers keep getting behind the wheel.
"It's just unconscionable to me that they would do that," said Mallory.
Republican state senator Mike Carrell wants to target the conscience of would-be drunk drivers. He is sponsoring a bill that would require a person convicted of DUI to drive a vehicle with front and rear fluorescent yellow license plates.
Ohio started requiring the same thing four years ago.
"I believe shame will keep people from doing it. Looking at somebody who is driving around with a fluorescent yellow license plate should be a good reason for others to decide 'I don't want to have my neighbors knowing that I'm a drunk,'" said Carrell.
Under the proposal, if you're a convicted DUI offender and you're caught driving without the special license plate, you could be slapped with a misdemeanor.
But Mothers Against Drunk Driving says it's not in favor of the idea because there's no scientific data showing the special plates reduce drunk driving. Plus, innocent family members would have to ride in the car would bare the shame.
"I think sometimes shaming people is not the right thing to do," said Mallory.
Still, at Monday's senate committee hearing, Sen. Carrell said sometimes a little shame goes a long way.
"Giving the public knowledge of who might be out on the roads with them that might be potentially dangerous is a benefit to the public," said Carrell.
If the bill passes, DUI drivers would have to drive with the special plates for one year. There would be an exemption when driving work vehicles.
It would go effect January 1, 2009.
Jury chosen in UW arson case
P-I STAFF
A jury was chosen Monday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma in the case of Briana Waters, a 32-year-old mother and violin teacher accused of acting as a lookout in the May 2001 firebombing of the UW Center for Urban Horticulture.
A cell of the Earth Liberation Front/Animal Liberation Front -- characterized as ecoterrorists by the government -- conducted the bombing, under the mistaken belief that the center contained genetically modified trees.
If found guilty of using a destructive device in the arson and other felony charges, Waters -- who has no criminal history -- faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in federal prison. Opening arguments are expected Tuesday morning.
A jury was chosen Monday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma in the case of Briana Waters, a 32-year-old mother and violin teacher accused of acting as a lookout in the May 2001 firebombing of the UW Center for Urban Horticulture.
A cell of the Earth Liberation Front/Animal Liberation Front -- characterized as ecoterrorists by the government -- conducted the bombing, under the mistaken belief that the center contained genetically modified trees.
If found guilty of using a destructive device in the arson and other felony charges, Waters -- who has no criminal history -- faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in federal prison. Opening arguments are expected Tuesday morning.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Trooper busts YouTube 'drifters' in Bellevue
By TRAVIS PITTMAN / KING5.com
BELLEVUE, Wash. – Police frown upon someone driving recklessly. They tend to get a little more upset when someone does it to show off on camera.
Imagine the reaction of a trooper when it happened right next door to a Washington State Patrol office in Bellevue.
The state patrol says two men who work at a local auto dealership decided to take a late model Infiniti G35 from the dealership Sunday and do a stunt known as "drifting" in a vacant parking lot. At the same time, the men were videotaping the stunt driving to post on YouTube. Troopers say a 21-year-old North Bend man was driving and 21-year-old Bothell man, who was a passenger, also shot some video from the curb.
Their antics caught the attention of a trooper who was pulling into the WSP office next door. The trooper arrested the driver for reckless driving then spotted a video camera on the floorboard of the car which had captured the entire incident.
It turns out, the Infiniti had just been handed over to the car dealership on a trade in. Both men were fired.
The driver was booked on felony malicious mischief and reckless driving charges. The other man was booked on a felony malicious mischief charge.
Drifting, which started in Japan about 10 years ago, is basically trying to get your car to go sideways down a road. It was a key part of the 2006 film "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift."
BELLEVUE, Wash. – Police frown upon someone driving recklessly. They tend to get a little more upset when someone does it to show off on camera.
Imagine the reaction of a trooper when it happened right next door to a Washington State Patrol office in Bellevue.
The state patrol says two men who work at a local auto dealership decided to take a late model Infiniti G35 from the dealership Sunday and do a stunt known as "drifting" in a vacant parking lot. At the same time, the men were videotaping the stunt driving to post on YouTube. Troopers say a 21-year-old North Bend man was driving and 21-year-old Bothell man, who was a passenger, also shot some video from the curb.
Their antics caught the attention of a trooper who was pulling into the WSP office next door. The trooper arrested the driver for reckless driving then spotted a video camera on the floorboard of the car which had captured the entire incident.
It turns out, the Infiniti had just been handed over to the car dealership on a trade in. Both men were fired.
The driver was booked on felony malicious mischief and reckless driving charges. The other man was booked on a felony malicious mischief charge.
Drifting, which started in Japan about 10 years ago, is basically trying to get your car to go sideways down a road. It was a key part of the 2006 film "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift."
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
A look at 'force' incidents in which cops weren't disciplined
By ERIC NALDER
P-I INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
Most police officers accused of using excessive force by citizens are either exonerated because their actions were lawful or the charges are ruled unfounded, meaning the event never happened. If the evidence is inconclusive, the finding is not sustained. If the department feels there was wrongdoing, the finding is sustained, which means misconduct occurred. If policy violations are deemed not willful, or if errors do not rise to the level of misconduct, then the officer is given retraining under a nondisciplinary category called supervisory intervention.
Here are cases in which supervisory intervention was ordered:
# An officer Tased an apparent bystander "before assessing the situation," admitting later she wanted to avoid having to chase the man and leave "other people" at the scene of a disturbance. She also claimed she didn't feel she had to file the normal use-of-force report because "the only force used was to protect the complainant from hurting himself."
# A witness complained an officer Tased a man too long. The witness said her wrist was bent back and she was arrested when she tried to intervene.
# An uninvolved couple told investigators that an officer slammed a skateboarder against a light pole downtown. The investigators rejected the officer's claim that when he confronted the young man over jaywalking he had taken a "bladed stance" with his legs apart and at an angle, and that he held his skateboard across his body, indicating aggression. "For the record, the 'bladed stance' argument is overworked and is not necessarily an indicator of preparation to attack offensively," investigators wrote. Though they didn't buy the officer's claims, the department rejected a recommendation that he be disciplined, and he got supervisory intervention.
# Two officers were parked side by side in their patrol cars when one sarcastically broadcast to a curious passer-by over his loudspeaker, "Haven't you ever seen a police car before?" The exchange ended with the citizen, who taunted the officers, bent over the hood of the car and searched for weapons before being released. Supervisory intervention was imposed on one of the officers who used profanity.
# A woman complained that she was forcefully escorted to a patrol car for violating the dog scoop ordinance, bruising her arm in the process.
# A man complaining about a bad haircut was escorted out of the barbershop by an officer who twisted his arm. When the man reached for the cop's nametag, the officer bumped him and yelled at him, the man said. No supervisor was called to the scene, and the man had a right to have his 'bad haircut' remedied, the department concluded in ordering supervisory intervention.
P-I INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
Most police officers accused of using excessive force by citizens are either exonerated because their actions were lawful or the charges are ruled unfounded, meaning the event never happened. If the evidence is inconclusive, the finding is not sustained. If the department feels there was wrongdoing, the finding is sustained, which means misconduct occurred. If policy violations are deemed not willful, or if errors do not rise to the level of misconduct, then the officer is given retraining under a nondisciplinary category called supervisory intervention.
Here are cases in which supervisory intervention was ordered:
# An officer Tased an apparent bystander "before assessing the situation," admitting later she wanted to avoid having to chase the man and leave "other people" at the scene of a disturbance. She also claimed she didn't feel she had to file the normal use-of-force report because "the only force used was to protect the complainant from hurting himself."
# A witness complained an officer Tased a man too long. The witness said her wrist was bent back and she was arrested when she tried to intervene.
# An uninvolved couple told investigators that an officer slammed a skateboarder against a light pole downtown. The investigators rejected the officer's claim that when he confronted the young man over jaywalking he had taken a "bladed stance" with his legs apart and at an angle, and that he held his skateboard across his body, indicating aggression. "For the record, the 'bladed stance' argument is overworked and is not necessarily an indicator of preparation to attack offensively," investigators wrote. Though they didn't buy the officer's claims, the department rejected a recommendation that he be disciplined, and he got supervisory intervention.
# Two officers were parked side by side in their patrol cars when one sarcastically broadcast to a curious passer-by over his loudspeaker, "Haven't you ever seen a police car before?" The exchange ended with the citizen, who taunted the officers, bent over the hood of the car and searched for weapons before being released. Supervisory intervention was imposed on one of the officers who used profanity.
# A woman complained that she was forcefully escorted to a patrol car for violating the dog scoop ordinance, bruising her arm in the process.
# A man complaining about a bad haircut was escorted out of the barbershop by an officer who twisted his arm. When the man reached for the cop's nametag, the officer bumped him and yelled at him, the man said. No supervisor was called to the scene, and the man had a right to have his 'bad haircut' remedied, the department concluded in ordering supervisory intervention.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Outrage in the courtroom as Skyway shooter is freed
KING5.com staff
SEATTLE - The man who shot and killed three people and wounded three others in an infamous Skyway shootout is a free man tonight.
As part of a plea deal, Dimitri Sicorchuk, 24, was sentenced to 24 months in jail, a sentence he has already completed while awaiting trial.
That has some family members of victims outraged.
Moments after the sentencing, an angry mob approached the prosecutor.
"You should of tried harder," said Don Raz. "We have community members in our community who have been deported to Cambodia for crimes less heinous than this."
Prosecutors say Sicorchuk admits to opening fire during a scuffle at Skyway Bowl on June 20, 2006. One of his best friends was among the dead.
Sicorchuk and his lawyer argued that the shootings were done in self defense. But after two juries couldn't agree on whether he acted in self defense, a plea deal was reached.
The Sun family of West Seattle is outraged. Their loved one, 20-year-old Sophea, was killed in the shooting.
"It broke my heart because my son so young," said Savoeun Keo, Sophea's mother. "It's not fair."
SEATTLE - The man who shot and killed three people and wounded three others in an infamous Skyway shootout is a free man tonight.
As part of a plea deal, Dimitri Sicorchuk, 24, was sentenced to 24 months in jail, a sentence he has already completed while awaiting trial.
That has some family members of victims outraged.
Moments after the sentencing, an angry mob approached the prosecutor.
"You should of tried harder," said Don Raz. "We have community members in our community who have been deported to Cambodia for crimes less heinous than this."
Prosecutors say Sicorchuk admits to opening fire during a scuffle at Skyway Bowl on June 20, 2006. One of his best friends was among the dead.
Sicorchuk and his lawyer argued that the shootings were done in self defense. But after two juries couldn't agree on whether he acted in self defense, a plea deal was reached.
The Sun family of West Seattle is outraged. Their loved one, 20-year-old Sophea, was killed in the shooting.
"It broke my heart because my son so young," said Savoeun Keo, Sophea's mother. "It's not fair."
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Man, 23, is charged with child rape in forced-prostitution case
P-I STAFF
A Seattle man who allegedly had sex with a 12-year-old girl he met downtown and forced her into prostitution was charged Tuesday in King County Superior Court with two counts of second-degree child rape and one count of promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor.
Steven Leonard, 23, is being held in the King County Jail with bail set at $250,000.
A Seattle man who allegedly had sex with a 12-year-old girl he met downtown and forced her into prostitution was charged Tuesday in King County Superior Court with two counts of second-degree child rape and one count of promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor.
Steven Leonard, 23, is being held in the King County Jail with bail set at $250,000.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Port Angeles man accused of Craigslist scam
By AKIKO FUJITA
KOMO-TV
Police have arrested a Port Angeles man for stealing thousands from users of the Web site Craigslist.org.
Investigators said the man used bad checks to buy diamond rings on the site, scamming a number of victims from Seattle to Everett.
It all began with one engagement ring. A Snoqualmie man posted an ad on Craigslist, asking for $5,400 for the ring.
Police say the Port Angeles man saw the posting as an opportunity to cash in.
"He portrayed himself as a jewelry broker from Elegance Jewelry Design and so the victim met with him (and) they looked at the ring through a jewelry glass," said Rebecca Munson with the Snoqualmie Police Department.
The two struck a deal at $5,200 and the suspect wrote the seller a business check. But that check turned out to be fake.
"He made it look like he knew what he was talking about," Munson said.
The victim e-mailed every Craigslist user with a posting for a ring for sale and warned them about the scam. He learned the suspect targeted two others.
"Then they had a contact from someone in Seattle who had set up a meeting with our suspect," said Munson.
That's when police jumped in. They set up a sting operation at a Starbucks coffee shop in Queen Anne, where the seller was to meet the suspect. When the man showed up, undercover officers arrested him.
The man was booked at the King County Jail for investigation of first degree theft, financial fraud, forgery and unlawful issuance of a bank check.
News of the latest Craigslist scam has users on high alert.
"I've used it for everything, it's just reliable," said Michael Mathias.
Mathias said he's using Craigslist to sell his grandmother's ring. He doesn't have a buyer yet, but knows what to do when that person comes calling.
"You take the money first, you always ask for cash," he said.
KOMO-TV
Police have arrested a Port Angeles man for stealing thousands from users of the Web site Craigslist.org.
Investigators said the man used bad checks to buy diamond rings on the site, scamming a number of victims from Seattle to Everett.
It all began with one engagement ring. A Snoqualmie man posted an ad on Craigslist, asking for $5,400 for the ring.
Police say the Port Angeles man saw the posting as an opportunity to cash in.
"He portrayed himself as a jewelry broker from Elegance Jewelry Design and so the victim met with him (and) they looked at the ring through a jewelry glass," said Rebecca Munson with the Snoqualmie Police Department.
The two struck a deal at $5,200 and the suspect wrote the seller a business check. But that check turned out to be fake.
"He made it look like he knew what he was talking about," Munson said.
The victim e-mailed every Craigslist user with a posting for a ring for sale and warned them about the scam. He learned the suspect targeted two others.
"Then they had a contact from someone in Seattle who had set up a meeting with our suspect," said Munson.
That's when police jumped in. They set up a sting operation at a Starbucks coffee shop in Queen Anne, where the seller was to meet the suspect. When the man showed up, undercover officers arrested him.
The man was booked at the King County Jail for investigation of first degree theft, financial fraud, forgery and unlawful issuance of a bank check.
News of the latest Craigslist scam has users on high alert.
"I've used it for everything, it's just reliable," said Michael Mathias.
Mathias said he's using Craigslist to sell his grandmother's ring. He doesn't have a buyer yet, but knows what to do when that person comes calling.
"You take the money first, you always ask for cash," he said.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Routine arrest in Lynnwood area ends with car chase, shot fired
RAY LANE / KING 5 News
LYNNWOOD, Wash. - Snohomish County Sheriff's deputies were getting ready to arrest a man on outstanding felony warrants at an apartment in the Lynnwood area Saturday night when the man took off.
Police say as they were moving in, the 24-year old man, along with a 20-year old woman, jumped into a stolen SUV and drove off, leading deputies on a short car chase.
Before long, the couple drove themselves into a road block.
"The suspects ended up on a dead-end road. The male suspect, who was driving the stolen car, backed the car into a deputy's car. Another deputy at the scene got out of his patrol vehicle and a fired a shot," said Sgt. Jerry Strieck.
The Everett Police Dept. is handling the investigation involving Snohomish County deputies. They say only one shot was fired, and that was by one of the deputies.
Somehow, the bullet shattered the window of an unmarked deputy's car, which was responding to the call. It's not clear how that happened.
Police say the suspect did not fire a weapon.
Both the man and woman were arrested.
The male suspect faces the original charges on those warrants that were issued against him, plus new felony charges, including running from police, and ramming his vehicle into a police car.
The deputy, who has been with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office for five years, is now on paid administrative leave, a routine procedure in this type of situation.
LYNNWOOD, Wash. - Snohomish County Sheriff's deputies were getting ready to arrest a man on outstanding felony warrants at an apartment in the Lynnwood area Saturday night when the man took off.
Police say as they were moving in, the 24-year old man, along with a 20-year old woman, jumped into a stolen SUV and drove off, leading deputies on a short car chase.
Before long, the couple drove themselves into a road block.
"The suspects ended up on a dead-end road. The male suspect, who was driving the stolen car, backed the car into a deputy's car. Another deputy at the scene got out of his patrol vehicle and a fired a shot," said Sgt. Jerry Strieck.
The Everett Police Dept. is handling the investigation involving Snohomish County deputies. They say only one shot was fired, and that was by one of the deputies.
Somehow, the bullet shattered the window of an unmarked deputy's car, which was responding to the call. It's not clear how that happened.
Police say the suspect did not fire a weapon.
Both the man and woman were arrested.
The male suspect faces the original charges on those warrants that were issued against him, plus new felony charges, including running from police, and ramming his vehicle into a police car.
The deputy, who has been with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office for five years, is now on paid administrative leave, a routine procedure in this type of situation.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Ex-hotel manager surrenders to the FBI
$1.4 million in guest payments allegedly stolen
P-I STAFF
A former Tukwila hotel manager accused of stealing $1.4 million by diverting guest payments into his personal bank account turned himself in to the FBI on Monday.
Brian Fleet, 41, had been on the run for more than a year, federal authorities said.
Fleet used his position as general manager of the Residence Inn in Tukwila to defeat the hotel's computerized accounting system and steal checks submitted by month-to-month guests, according to court papers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Barbosa said he doesn't know why Fleet decided to turn himself in or what his life as a fugitive was like.
An FBI "wanted" poster said "Fleet is known to enjoy golf, gambling (and) attending professional sporting events."
According to court papers, Fleet began intercepting checks and depositing them in his own business account in 1999, continuing until April 2005.
Fleet, who made his first federal court appearance in Seattle on Monday, will remain in custody on four counts of wire fraud pending a detention hearing Friday.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
P-I STAFF
A former Tukwila hotel manager accused of stealing $1.4 million by diverting guest payments into his personal bank account turned himself in to the FBI on Monday.
Brian Fleet, 41, had been on the run for more than a year, federal authorities said.
Fleet used his position as general manager of the Residence Inn in Tukwila to defeat the hotel's computerized accounting system and steal checks submitted by month-to-month guests, according to court papers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Barbosa said he doesn't know why Fleet decided to turn himself in or what his life as a fugitive was like.
An FBI "wanted" poster said "Fleet is known to enjoy golf, gambling (and) attending professional sporting events."
According to court papers, Fleet began intercepting checks and depositing them in his own business account in 1999, continuing until April 2005.
Fleet, who made his first federal court appearance in Seattle on Monday, will remain in custody on four counts of wire fraud pending a detention hearing Friday.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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