Frank Lenzi – MyNorthwest.com

12-year-old dies in rollover crash, mother investigated for DUI and booked for vehicular homicide

Frank Lenzi — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:28:01 +0000

AUBURN, Wash. — An Auburn mother has been charged with vehicular homicide after investigators say she allegedly drove under the influence and flipped her car.

Her 12-year-old son, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, was thrown from the vehicle and killed.

The crash happened on SE 416th Street, located between Enumclaw and Auburn, around 1:43 a.m. on April 27.

The car hit a ditch, and the impact of it sent it 150 feet into the air. The car rolled over at least once, and the pre-teen was tossed from the vehicle.

The driver, 38-year-old Savannah Hopper, was arrested.

While talking with investigators, she said that her son’s girlfriend was driving at the time of the crash, but she and her son were the only two at the scene and she did not provide a name for the supposed girlfriend.

Investigators said the seat was adjusted to fit Hopper’s height and that she was the registered owner for the vehicle.

According to investigators, no one was wearing a seat belt and an empty bottle of vodka was found in the debris of the wreckage.

Hopper was booked into King County Jail for vehicular homicide.

Results of her blood alcohol testing are pending. More charges could be filed.

This afternoon there was a first appearance for Savannah Lynn Hopper, who was arrested Sunday in a vehicular homicide investigation.

The first appearance document written by the King County Sheriff’s Office and presented in court this afternoon by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is attached – available because the Court found probable cause for vehicular homicide.

The defendant was medically unavailable for court, so bail was not addressed. She remains in custody.

A first appearance hearing following an arrest is not the same as what’s required by law for a felony charging decision, which has a higher burden of proof. In all types of cases, it is routinely in the days after a first appearance hearing that police investigators send a case referral to prosecutors for a charging decision.

King County prosecutors do not have that felony case referral from the Sheriff’s Office now, but anticipate getting that case referral from Sheriff’s Office investigators for a charging decision.

Washington AG fights Trump’s dismantling of AmeriCorps

Frank Lenzi — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:32:47 +0000

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has joined a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s February executive order that effectively dismantles .

According to , AmeriCorps covers volunteers’ basic expenses, including housing, meals, and a “limited health benefit,” as well as a “modest” living allowance. The program also provides members who complete their 1,700-hour service term with funding for future education expenses or to apply to certain student loans. That benefit was valued at about $7,300 this service year.

AmeriCorps placed most staff members on administrative leave with pay this month, effective immediately, according to a staff member and an internal memo shared with The AP.

The media outlet reported that about 15% of the agency’s staff remained active, according to an AmeriCorps staff member who provided internal communications to The AP on condition of anonymity because the staff member was not authorized to do so. AmeriCorps employs more than 500 full-time federal workers and has an operating budget of roughly $1 billion.

“AmeriCorps provides hope and belonging in American communities nationwide,” Brown said. “It gives inspiration and purpose to the young people who join its ranks annually. But the president thinks public programs and public dollars are his to do with what he will, snatching them up through the same scheming that federal courts have already said is likely illegal.”

White House terminates AmeriCorps grant programs

According to a from Brown’s office, on April 25, the federal government notified Washington that it had terminated its AmeriCorps grant programs, which support volunteer and service efforts.

“In the complaint, Attorney General Brown and the multistate coalition argue that by abruptly canceling critical grants and gutting AmeriCorps’ workforce,” the release said. “The Trump Administration is effectively shuttering the national volunteer agency and ending the states’ abilities to support AmeriCorps programs.”

The release goes on to state, “the Trump Administration acted illegally in its gutting of AmeriCorps, violating both the Administrative Procedures Act and the separation of powers under the U.S. Constitution.”

Washington is joining the lawsuit alongside more than 20 attorneys general, including Maryland, Delaware, California, Colorado, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, as well as Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Local port commissioners warn of rising costs and supply chain disruptions as a result of trade war with China

Frank Lenzi — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:03:38 +0000

The ports of Seattle and Tacoma are grappling with a significant slowdown in container traffic, as trade tensions between the United States and China continue to disrupt global supply chains. Port officials warn that the situation could worsen, potentially leading to empty store shelves and economic strain on small and medium-sized businesses.

Ryan Calkins, Commissioner, described the visible decline in vessel activity at major terminals. “We’re starting to see a real reduction in vessel calls and even the amount of time they spend there,” Calkins said.

He attributed the slowdown to the uncertainty caused by tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, which have strained trade relations with China, the region’s largest trading partner.

It’s not just about imports

The impact extends beyond imports.

“China is the largest consumer of soybeans coming out of the Midwest,” Calkins said. “Boeing sells a lot of airplanes to China. All of that has locked up, it’s not moving either way. And so, unless we get a resolution quickly, things are going to get a lot worse.”

In Tacoma, the situation mirrors Seattle’s challenges.

Dick Marzano, Commissioner, highlighted the toll on agricultural exports, particularly apples and cherries, which have struggled to regain market share after previous tariff hikes.

“It takes years to grow a partnership with these companies overseas,” Marzano said. “So even if tomorrow they come to some kind of an agreement, you’re gonna still see some tariffs that were imposed a little bit higher. And it’s gonna be hard getting back some of that cargo.”

Both ports are working to mitigate the impact by diversifying trade partnerships. Commissioners from Seattle and Tacoma are currently in Asia, exploring opportunities in Vietnam and Korea, where tariffs are less restrictive. “We’re looking at all avenues,” Marzano said. “We’re still open for business, we’re not shutting anything down, we’re going to do whatever we can to make things go.”

Supply chain disruptions probably coming soon

The slowdown has raised concerns about potential shortages of goods, reminiscent of the pandemic-era supply chain disruptions. Calkins warned, “For certain commodities, it’s probably weeks, not months,” before we see shortages.

“During the pandemic, the issue was it was actually a surge of goods that kind of locked up the whole system. We had so many things coming inbound, that it was hard to process everything coming through,” Calkins said.

Now, we have the opposite problem.

“So many fewer things are moving either from a factory to the water, across the water that by the time we do get resolution, it’s going to take a while to refill that pipeline,” he said.
Calkins said families may face challenges due to the trade war. He said affordable clothing brands could become less affordable as the trade war goes on, as most of those products come from China.

And Marzano said big-ticket items will also become more expensive.

“You look at people that maybe bought just recently because they knew the price is going to go up, you’re going to see the washer, the dryers, the refrigerators, automobiles, things of that nature not being in such great demand because of the sticker shock,” he said.

How close is the U.S. to a deal with China?

Recently, the Trump administration has said talks are ongoing with China and that a deal is being worked on. But China has said no talks are happening.

Calkins suggested internal disagreements within the Trump administration may be delaying resolution. He believes there are trade hawks in the administration who want to see high tariffs because they believe it will bring manufacturing back to the United States.

“And then you’ve got other parts of the administration who are saying, ‘Listen, this is going to bring economic cataclysm to the United States, and we have effectively shot ourselves in the foot here and we need to walk this back as quickly as possible,’” he said. “At this point, you know, the Chinese are just sitting back and, you know, got their bucket of popcorn and watching it all happen back in DC,” Calkins said.

Stolen vehicle, jaws of life recovered after ATM theft investigation in West Seattle

Frank Lenzi — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 21:44:16 +0000

Seattle police say an early morning ATM burglary in West Seattle on Saturday led investigators to a storage facility in Bonney Lake, where two people were detained and a stolen vehicle was recovered.

According to the Seattle Police Department, officers responded around 4:59 a.m. to reports of a burglary at an ATM in the 6500 block of California Avenue Southwest.

As the investigation developed, officers traced leads to a storage business in Bonney Lake.

When authorities arrived at the storage site, they detained two individuals for questioning. However, a third person—identified as a suspect—fled the area in a vehicle.

The two people detained were later interviewed and released, according to police.

Seattle police’s General Investigations Unit (GIU) was contacted and responded to the scene. A judge later approved a search warrant for a storage locker connected to the identified suspect.

During the search, officers recovered multiple pieces of evidence, including two sets of the “jaws of life” hydraulic rescue tools.

Investigators also found the stolen vehicle believed to have been used during the ATM burglary. The vehicle was towed to the SPD Vehicle Processing Room, where it will be examined for fingerprints and other forensic evidence after an additional search warrant application.

Seattle Police Criminal Intelligence Unit was consulted regarding several pieces of recovered electronic evidence tied to the case.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Teen sentenced for Renton crash that killed four, including three children

Frank Lenzi — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 22:00:56 +0000

A young man responsible for a crash in Renton that killed four people—including three children—learned his fate Friday during an emotional sentencing hearing.

Chase Jones, 19, was sentenced to 17½ years in prison for the deadly collision.

Prosecutors said that in March 2024, Jones was driving 112 mph when he slammed into a van, killing 13-year-old Matilda Wilcoxson, her 12-year-old sister, Eloise, their 12-year-old friend, Boyd “Buster” Brown, and 38-year-old Andrea Hudson. Two other children were severely injured.

The crash happened at the intersection of South 192nd Street and 140th Avenue South in Renton. On April 3, Jones pleaded guilty to four counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault.

Teen sentenced for crash that killed four

Rivka Wilcoxson lost her daughters in the crash.

“I would like him to know that while nothing I can say can absolve him of responsibility for his actions, I do forgive him,” she said.

Wilcoxson’s husband, Chase, had another recommendation for Jones’ punishment.

“Perhaps you could order him to watch each of the recorded funerals or review the body cams of the first responders that day, or review the autopsy files and pictures,” he said.

Before the judge imposed the sentence, agreed upon by the prosecution and defense as part of a plea deal, he fought back tears.

“It is my job. I’m tasked with imposing a fair and just sentence, and I’ll try my best to accomplish that.”

The judge said he believes Jones is remorseful for what he did.

“From what I’ve been told, Mr. Jones, you have the extraordinary potential and drive to be the best version of yourself,” he said.

Jones’s attorney read a statement on his behalf in court, in which the defendant apologized and admitted he was “addicted” to speed. According to the statement, Jones used speed as a tool to deal with his problems.

“I wish there was a way to go back and change things,” the statement said. “But I can’t, and it will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Authorities said Jones had been involved in previous crashes in which speed was a factor. When he gets out of prison, he will have to install a speed-limiting device on any vehicle he drives.

Man charged with murdering Seattle dog walker found not competent to stand trial

Frank Lenzi — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 01:00:24 +0000

SEATTLE — The man accused of last summer has been found no longer competent to stand trial.

Today, a judge in King County Superior Court decided that 48-year-old Jahmed Haynes will go back to Western State Hospital to undergo another 90-day mental competency restoration.

Haynes is charged with murder, assault, and animal cruelty for the carjacking death of 80-year-old dog walker, Ruth Dalton, on August 20, 2024.

He was found after his first 90-day stay at Western State.

Haynes is facing life in prison.

King County Health Official: ‘Measles is having a field day’

Frank Lenzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:03:49 +0000

Public health officials in King County are closely monitoring measles cases in Washington, emphasizing the importance of vaccination amid rising concerns globally, saying the disease is “having a field day” in other parts of the country.

There have been five confirmed measles cases in Washington so far this year. The latest case involved an infant in King County who had traveled internationally.

“When we take these numbers in context of the national situation with measles and globally, absolutely, there are concerns,” said Debra Berliner, a program manager in the immunization branch at .

Locally, an outbreak has not been declared, as cases have primarily been linked to international travel rather than community spread, Berliner said. She added that the majority of King County residents are vaccinated, which helps prevent widespread transmission.

Despite no outbreak here, we need to ‘stay on guard’

“But we have to stay on guard because, as we’re seeing across the nation, measles is on a rager. Measles is having a field day,” Berliner said.

Berliner attributed the rise in measles cases to declining vaccination rates following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Access to vaccinations declined globally during the pandemic, and lots of children fell behind, and that caused more outbreaks on nearly every continent,” Berliner said. “Similarly, here in the United States, the pandemic led to declining vaccination rates for routine vaccine-preventable diseases like measles.”

With lower vaccination rates, measles has more opportunities to spread, she said, pointing to recent outbreaks in states like Texas and New Mexico.

“If you’re measles, things are really looking up for you right now,” Berliner said. “That’s why it’s so important that we continue to stay up to date on vaccination rates here in King County and elsewhere.”

While some cases in Washington have involved infants, Berliner said there have also been adult cases, including one in a vaccinated traveler whose risk of spreading the disease was low. She said cases in vaccinated people are rare.

She encouraged people traveling internationally to check for current measles outbreaks on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization websites. Officials say people traveling domestically should do the same, especially if they visiting areas experiencing potential outbreaks.

“We recommend that anybody traveling abroad have two doses of MMR vaccine if they’re eligible prior to travel,” Berliner said. “When you are traveling internationally, often you’re in crowded places like airports and other transit hubs where you might encounter people from all over the world. And so, measles exposure is always a possibility, even if your final destination is a place where measles is not endemic.”

For most people, two doses of the MMR vaccine provide lifelong immunity, Berliner said. Those born before 1989 who only received one dose should get an additional dose before traveling internationally.

“If you were born in the ’90s or later and you had two doses as a child, you don’t need any additional doses,” she said.

Children typically receive their first MMR dose between 12 and 15 months, followed by a second dose before kindergarten at age 4 to 6, Berliner said. Infants between 6 and 11 months who will be traveling internationally should receive an early dose to provide some protection abroad.

“That early dose can give them some protection while they’re abroad,” she said. “We also recommend that anybody ages 12 months and older get two doses spaced 28 days apart before traveling abroad.”

Berliner urged parents to plan ahead and ensure vaccinations are up to date at least two weeks before departure.

“It your body some time to develop an immune response,” she said.

Tips for traveling with infants

But what about traveling with a baby who is six months old or younger?

“If you do travel, certainly making sure that everyone else in your party is vaccinated and everyone on the destination side that you’re going to visit is vaccinated,” Berliner said. “Wearing masks when you travel, using good hand hygiene, washing your hands if you are able to,” she said. She added that “there is always risk.”

She emphasized the importance of vaccination, calling the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine “remarkably effective.”

“Two doses of MMR vaccine prevent infection in about 97% of people. And that protection usually lasts a lifetime,” Berliner said.

The United States has considered measles eliminated for the past 25 years, meaning there has been no routine transmission.

“We really, really want to keep that status,” Berliner said. “And we can do that because we have an outstanding vaccine.”

Asked how close the U.S. was to losing measles elimination status, Berliner said she did not want to take the risk.

“I strongly recommend that if you have not been vaccinated, you go out and go to your pharmacy today, go to your doctor,” she said.

She encouraged people to visit go to locate vaccination clinics.

“It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s relatively painless and—compared certainly to getting a measles infection—it can make a tremendous amount of difference not only for your personal health, but for your whole community,” Berliner said.

King County health officials point out that people born before 1957 are typically considered immune to measles. They say measles was so common before the measles vaccine was available that it is assumed everyone alive before 1957 already had measles.

Tensions rise over school funding, property tax hearings in Olympia

Frank Lenzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:54:34 +0000

Tensions ran high in Olympia on Wednesday as the legislative session neared its end.

Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal and Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, argued over

The bill would have allowed the current 1% cap on property taxes to be lifted as high as 3%. However, according to the , Rep. Steve Bergquist, D-Renton, the bill’s sponsor, added an amendment removing the bill’s sections on the growth limit.

The Center Square reported Reykdal testified in favor of the bill during a public hearing before the

“This undoes a wrong from seven years ago, where, without a requirement from the court, a billion dollars was cut from local schools,” he said.

According to the Center Square, the “wrong” Reykdal was referring to stemmed from the 2012 McCleary decision. The Washington State Supreme Court found the state was not adequately funding K-12 education and ordered the legislature to do so. In 2018, the “McCleary Solution” reduced local levy authority.

Property tax bill sparks heated legislative debate

Tension rose between Reykdal and Braun after Reykdal said 90% of local levies pass.

“Despite the rhetoric out there, people overwhelmingly support their local schools,” he said.

But, in reference to Tuesday’s special election, Braun said there were three districts in his area where levies were not passing.

“Whether it’s a lack of trust or a high tax amount, whatever the reason is, it seems highly likely that we’re going to have more levy failures, which means you have nothing … how do you deal with that?”

The Center Square reported that Reykdal’s response was that it’s typically bonds that fail, while levies pass.

“You could get in your local paper and say, ‘Please pass levies in my community,’” Reykdal said.
“I have done that, but frankly, superintendent, there’s a lack of trust, and you’re saying nothing here that’s restoring that trust,” Braun said.

At that point, the Center Square reports Braun said he had no more questions.

EHSB 2049 is on the Senate Ways & Means Committee agenda on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

FBI investigates surge of laser pointing incidents at Washington airports

Frank Lenzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 14:56:07 +0000

The FBI is working to stop a surge of laser-pointing incidents involving airplanes in the Seattle and Spokane areas.

“Since March 2024, aircraft in the surrounding areas of Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac – SEA) and Spokane (GEG) International Airports in Washington state have experienced a dramatic increase in laser incidents,” according to an . “Pilots landing at the airports have experienced a laser illuminating and tracking the cockpit of their aircraft, especially while on approach to land at SEA and GEG.”

Incidents have been reported in locations across the Seattle area, including SeaTac, Vashon, White Center, Burien, West Kent, Lake Meridian Park, East Hill, and Des Moines. In Spokane, reports have come in from the West Plains, Nine Mile Falls, Green Bluff, and Hillyard areas.

FBI investigates rise in laser strikes near airports

The FBI believes multiple people are responsible for these incidents. However, the bureau does not think the Seattle incidents are related to those in Spokane.

“Lasers pointed at an aircraft can interfere with landing and can increase the risk of injury to flight crew, passengers, and citizens within the local area,” the release said. “Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is a federal offense and carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.”

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or their local FBI office. Tips can also be submitted online .

California man sentenced in northern border human smuggling scheme

Frank Lenzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:51:28 +0000

A man whom federal prosecutors describe as a mid-level manager in a northern border smuggling ring has been sentenced to five months in prison.

Rajat Rajat, 27, and three others were indicted in connection with a scheme to smuggle noncitizens across the northern border for profit, according to a

Authorities said the group was connected to two smuggling episodes in November and December 2023.

Rajat is a California resident and a citizen of India.

“The judge said that as someone who had been smuggled into the country, Mr. Rajat perpetuated the cycle of exploitation inherent in the smuggling process,” According to the release,

“Mr. Rajat was a mid-level manager of this smuggling scheme, directing noncitizens where and how to cross the border, and even fronting some travel costs for them and for co-conspirators,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the illegal border crossings that undermine U.S. security.”

According to court records, eight different citizens of India were involved in the two smuggling incidents. On Nov. 27, 2023, multiple people were seen jumping a fence near the Boundary Village Apartments in Blaine, Washington. That fence is near Peace Arch Park.

California man sentenced in smuggling scheme

“Border Patrol agents near the apartments saw five people run to a white minivan,” the release said. “The vehicle was stopped by Border Patrol. Five citizens of India were in the van with California resident Bobby Joe Green, 68, as the driver.”

Three of the noncitizens told U.S. Border Patrol agents they saw defendant Sushil Kumar at Peace Arch Park before crossing the border illegally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“The investigation revealed that Kumar and Rajat Rajat, who was employed as a truck driver, directed the noncitizens on where and how to cross the border,” according to the release. “Rajat paid Green to transport the noncitizens from the border. Rajat asked for monetary payments from the noncitizens for being smuggled into the U.S.”

Federal prosecutors said a similar scenario played out in December 2023 in Peace Arch Park.

The judge ordered Rajat to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. However, the judge noted he will likely be deported after serving his sentence.

In March 2025, Sushil Kumar, 36, of Santa Rosa, was sentenced to six months in prison and three years of supervised release, according to the release. Green was sentenced to four months in prison and three years of supervised release.

“The fourth defendant, Sneha, 20, a citizen of India who is in the U.S. on a student visa and goes by just her last name, is scheduled to go to trial in January 2026,” the release said.

Former JBLM soldier sentenced to life in prison for murder of Redicab driver

Frank Lenzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:46:22 +0000

TUKWILA, Wash. — The trial for former JBLM soldier Jonathan Kang Lee began and ended in one day Wednesday, as he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Redicab driver Nick Hokema.

“This doesn’t bring him back. It doesn’t complete that family picture….but he got some justice,” Hokema’s fiancé Nicole Sharkody said.

Sharkody has been following this case from the get go. She says while the family is happy to see some sort of justice for what happened to Hokema, she believes JBLM has a lot more to answer to.

“And I am going to use everything that I have learned about previous cases that JBLM has dropped the ball on and I am going to make sure that people get accountability,” Sharokody said.

In court this afternoon, Lee pled guilty to first-degree murder, admitting he stabbed Hokema in the back of the head and chest.

Before today’s trial, Lee was also charged with pre-meditated murder and robbery, but those charges were dropped by the judge.

Character witnesses took the stand on behalf of Lee, alongside emotional testimony from Hokema’s family about the pain Lee has caused them.

“And I got to see him afraid. I got to see him afraid,” Sharkody said.

Lee was also convicted of child sex crimes prior to the murder, and will continue to serve 64 additional years for those charges, on top of his life sentence.

The U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel issued the following statement regarding the trial:

The court-martial for the case United States vs. PVT Jonathan K. Lee concluded today at the Cascade Court Complex, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., where he pleaded guilty to the murder of Nicholas F. Hokema.

In addition, he also pleaded guilty to desertion, resisting arrest, and two specifications of failure to obey a lawful order.

The military judge sentenced him to life In prison and a dishonorable discharge.

This sentence is in addition to his previous sentence of 64 years in confinement for felony sexual assault offenses where he also received a dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. His prison sentences will be served consecutively.

“While nothing the court can do will bring Mr. Hokema back, hopefully this sentence will allow for some closure for his friends and family,” said Lt. Col. Sean Fitzgibbon, circuit chief, Sixth Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. “This would not have been possible without the tremendous work from the Tukwila Police Department and the Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division.”

PVT Lee will serve his prison sentence at the United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

He will be eligible for parole for these offenses no earlier than 2045.

Young man dead after dozens of shots fired in Spanaway

Frank Lenzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:23:01 +0000

A young man was found dead Wednesday night after dozens of shots were fired in Spanaway, authorities said.

Neighbors began reporting gunfire at 10:36 p.m., according to a from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

“Residents called to report hearing 20-30 gunshots at the 17400 block of 17th Avenue East and then seeing a male laying in the middle of the cul-de-sac,” the release said. “Residents in the area went to go check on the male, but he was pronounced deceased.”

The cul-de-sac was littered with shell casings, and nearby homes and vehicles had been struck by bullets. No one else was injured.

The victim is believed to have been between 18 and 20 years old.

Authorities have not made any arrests.

Homicide Investigation Underway in Spanaway

On April 23, at 10:36pm, residents reported 20-30 gunshots and then saw a deceased male lying in the road. The victim has not been identified and the scene is still active.

For full story, visit our Blotter:

— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff)

Former Morton clerk-treasurer accused of stealing nearly $1 million

Frank Lenzi — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 01:00:51 +0000

The former clerk-treasurer for the city of Morton in Lewis County is accused of stealing nearly $1 million from the city over nine years.

Tamara Clevenger faces a federal wire fraud charge. She served as the clerk-treasurer for Morton from 2012 to 2022. In 2024, the Washington State Auditor “uncovered years of embezzlement totaling $937,584,” according to from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Wednesday.

“I commend the State Auditor’s Office for their good work on this case,” Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller said. “It is critical that all of our government entities have multiple safeguards in place to prevent the theft of hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”

Former Morton clerk-treasurer allegedly stole cash used for city services

Prosecutors said that between November 2015 and December 2021, Clevenger stole at least $311,727 in cash that people brought in to pay for city services.

“In some instances, she would write a check from one city account to another to conceal the theft of the cash. She also made unauthorized cash withdrawals with the Morton ATM card,” the release said. “Between February 2013 and December 2021, Clevenger allegedly stole at least $625,857 by writing checks to herself and depositing them in her bank account.”

In some cases, Clevenger allegedly used checks that had been pre-signed by the mayor for emergency situations. Prosecutors also said she used fake vendor invoices.

“Clevenger’s actions used interstate wires to commit the fraud with the transfer of funds between various bank accounts,” the release said. “One example is the transfer of $5,808 in funds from Washington to Umpqua bank servers located outside the state.”

After the 2024 audit, the city of Morton established new procedures. Now, no single person has control over the city’s various banking functions.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Clevenger is expected to enter a plea to the charge next month.

Seattle police release photos of motorcycle after woman dies in South Seattle hit-and-run

Frank Lenzi — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 20:55:07 +0000

One of the two people hit by a motorcycle at busy Seattle intersection has died from her injuries.

On Wednesday, Seattle police released photos taken by a Metro bus, showing what they described as a 1988-1999 Honda Goldwing GL1500.

Seattle police say 57-year-old Min Huang and her husband were at the intersection of South Alaska Street and Martin King Junior Way last Friday. Police say the driver kept going south after hitting both Huang and her husband.

Police say there is little to no information on the suspected motorcyclist or their location. Detective Munoz says investigators have been combing through all sorts of surveillance video to see if they can positively identify who is responsible.

“But right now, part of that investigation is identifying who this person is, who the owner of the vehicle is, and who the driver of it is. That is the number one key component of this investigation. Without this, we just don’t have anything,” Detective Munoz said.

Anyone with any information on the motorcyclist is urged to call SPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation Squad at 206-684-8923.

Seattle police: Man threw keg, groped women in ‘violent ruckus’

Frank Lenzi — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 23:56:39 +0000

A man has been arrested after Seattle police say he caused a in a tavern in Capitol Hill early Tuesday morning—where he allegedly threw a full keg and groped women.

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) said the 41-year-old also hurled a beer bottle at a bartender.

“He was also harassing some of the patrons,” SPD Detective Eric Muñoz said. “Basically, he was threatening to shoot them.”

The incident happened just after midnight in the 1400 block of East Olive Way.

When officers arrived, the suspect was gone. However, they found him driving nearby and arrested him. Police said he had an open alcoholic beverage in his car.

“He also had a court order to have an ignition interlock device inside of his vehicle, but he did not,” Muñoz said. “An ignition interlock device tests your level of alcohol impairment. You have to blow into that device before you get inside of your vehicle.”

Seattle police report man assaulted officers while in hospital

Officers took him to the hospital to have his blood drawn.

“The officers were unable to do that because he became unruly inside the hospital,” Muñoz said. “During this time, he actually assaulted one of our SPD officers by kicking them.”

No one was seriously hurt.

Police subsequently arrested the man for three counts of assault, two counts of special allegation—sexual motivation, harassment, driving under the influence, operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device, and driver’s license suspended/revoked in the third degree.

Century-old Carbon River Bridge closed until further notice

Frank Lenzi — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 21:15:21 +0000

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has permanently closed the , also known as the Carbon River Bridge, to all vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic due to structural deterioration.

New damage to the bridge’s steel supports has rendered it unsafe.

The single-lane bridge, which is more than 100 years old, previously provided access to Mount Rainier National Park’s Mowich Lake Entrance, Carbon River Ranger Station, and other outdoor recreation areas.

First responders have a separate emergency route, but there is no public detour.

According to a press release, the bridge’s support column is bent in two directions and beginning to buckle.

“It’s very apparent from the visual changes in the columns that the bridge is no longer safe to use,” Olympic Region Administrator Steve Roark said. “Closing the bridge was our last option. We fully understand the magnitude of this decision for everyone who relies on this bridge.”

WSDOT plans to study the following three options:

• Keep the bridge closed and not replace it, which is referred to as a no-build option.

• Bridge replacement in the same vicinity.

• Re-routing State Route 165 on a new alignment to the east or west of Carbon River Canyon.

The 494-foot-long bridge opened in 1921. Based on current standards, bridges have an expected service life of 75 years. The average age of state-owned vehicle bridges is 51 years, WSDOT said.

Woman struck by motorcycle in hit-and-run in South Seattle dies

Frank Lenzi — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 20:00:33 +0000

One of two people injured in a hit and run crash involving a motorcycle last week in South Seattle has died.

The 57-year-old woman suffered significant head trauma after being struck Friday night at Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Alaska Street.

Seattle Police announced Tuesday that she died from her injuries on Sunday.

She and a 59-year-old man were hit by a red motorcycle.

“Police determined the motorcycle, traveling southbound on MLK, struck the pedestrians while they were walking in the crosswalk,” Seattle Police said in a. “The motorcyclist ran from the scene before police arrived and is currently outstanding.”

Anyone with information is urged to call 911.

‘Just surreal’: Local woman recounts meeting Pope Francis

Frank Lenzi — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 12:00:22 +0000

A local woman is remembering her experience of meeting Pope Francis.

Vivian Shannon, executive director of the Seattle-based , had a private audience with him during a retreat in Rome last November. The Fulcrum Foundation supports 74 Catholic schools across Western Washington.

“About 40 or 45 of us went through security at the Vatican and we went into the papal palace and walked up several flights of stairs, a big, huge marble staircase, into the papal palace rooms where we waited for him to come in and greet us,” Shannon said.

The pope spoke for about 10 minutes.

“Then one by one, we were each able to go up and shake his hand and greet him personally, which was just surreal,” Shannon shared. “Oh my gosh, I say this with such respect. But he was jolly, he was adorable. His eyes literally twinkled when he spoke. He was humble.”

Pope Francis: ‘Please pray for me and not against me’

Shannon and Pope Francis spoke for about 40 seconds, and in that time, he asked her three times to pray for him, she said.

“Everyone greeted him, and he was getting ready to leave the room. He kind of turned around to face all of us one last time and said, ‘Remember, please pray for me and not against me,’ which I thought was so fascinating,” she said.

Shannon said that in his 12 years as pope, he met resistance from some people around the world.

“I think that he always led from a place of love and wanting the Catholic Church to be as inclusive as possible,” she shared. “I think there are some people that, you know, didn’t really relish his message as much as he would have hoped.”

Reflecting on Pope Francis’s legacy, Shannon highlighted his passion for Catholic education.

“He believed in it so deeply and that the role of Catholic education was to provide access to a very high-quality education to those who wanted it the most,” she said. “Those who couldn’t necessarily afford to attend Catholic schools, he wanted to make that possible in order to develop the whole child. It wasn’t just about academics, but it was about really what kind of person do they end up becoming as a result of Catholic education.”

Pope Francis died Monday at the age of 88.

Lacking ‘three-corners agreement,’ state Democrats ditch property tax plan

Frank Lenzi — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 22:00:43 +0000

A proposal to lift the current 1% cap on property tax growth to as much as 3% has been shelved.

According to , Democrats abandoned efforts to advance the plan because they lack a three-corners agreement—meaning the Democratic leadership of the House, Senate, and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson are not all on board. Ferguson said shelving the property tax plan was the right decision.

“We have to look at a lot of revenue sources, and I think we need to minimize the impacts on working people in the state,” Ferguson told The Washington State Standard Monday morning. “So I think they made the right decision.”

Property tax proposal part of HB 2049

The proposal was part of , which would have allowed the cap to be raised to 3%, factoring in population growth and inflation.

A fiscal analysis obtained by The Washington State Standard estimated that uncapping the state property tax would have generated an additional $200 million for public schools and potentially $236 million for local governments in the next budget.

On Sunday, Rep. Steve Bergquist, D-Renton, the bill’s sponsor, filed an amendment to remove sections on the growth limit.

Text messages, GPS data lead to arrest in Thurston County murder investigation

Frank Lenzi — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 19:57:09 +0000

Thurston County prosecutors say a local handyman is facing murder and kidnapping charges after the remains of an 82-year-old woman were found buried beneath a shed he was hired to build.

Jeffrey Kian Zizz is expected to be charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and unlawful disposal of human remains following the disappearance and death of Marcia Norman, who lived alone in her Thurston County home, according to probable cause documents.

Family members first reported Norman missing on April 4, after she missed several appointments and friends raised concerns.

At her home, they discovered her vehicles still parked outside and her wallet inside, along with untouched medication in a daily organizer dating back to April 1.

Authorities learned from the woman’s son that she had previously expressed concern about Zizz, a handyman she employed.

Months earlier, she allegedly told her son she had woken to find Zizz standing at the foot of her bed uninvited.

She confronted him and made it clear their relationship was to remain professional, but the incident was never reported to police.

Text messages recovered from Norman’s iCloud showed she and Zizz had planned to have dinner on April 1. Zizz later told detectives they had tacos and wine together that evening before he returned home.

However, surveillance footage and license plate camera data indicated he returned to her property multiple times in the early hours of April 2.

Detectives also found inconsistencies in Zizz’s statements and location data.

Although he denied returning to her home after 9 p.m., FLOCK camera footage showed his truck near Olympia intersections around 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. that morning.

When questioned, Zizz claimed he left his phone at home during the trips, a detail investigators found suspicious.

Ring camera footage from Zizz’s roommate’s home showed no activity matching Zizz’s story of coming and going. Detectives also noted a bent window screen outside Zizz’s bedroom.

During a search of Zizz’s residence, detectives found a five-page typed letter outlining a planned burglary and sexual assault of a female client.

Zizz denied involvement in Norman’s disappearance.

But on April 7, his roommate reported him missing after Zizz took the roommate’s truck and failed to return.

Later that day, Idaho State Police found the truck abandoned after an elk collision on a remote stretch of Highway 12. Zizz was later arrested in Missoula, Montana.

Investigators traced Zizz’s activities the day after Norman was last seen.

He had rented an excavator on April 2 and used it at a jobsite to demolish and rebuild a shed. The property owner told detectives she had hired Zizz on Norman’s recommendation.

On April 8, cadaver dogs alerted to the presence of human decomposition in the bed of Zizz’s truck.

Later, the dogs also alerted near the base and interior of the newly built shed.

Detectives excavated the area and discovered human remains on April 9.

The body was confirmed to be Norman the next day during an autopsy.

She had been bound at the wrists and ankles with long black Velcro straps and died from blunt force trauma and penetrating head injuries, the medical examiner determined.

Zizz remains in custody.

Frank Lenzi – MyNorthwest.com

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