Seattle

Witnesses report streaking fireball

The National Weather Service in Seattle received multiple calls yesterday describing a red or greenish fireball from as far as south as Skamania County and as far north as Bellingham, said meteorologist Dana Felton.

A fireball is a bright meteor. It's not clear if the fireball disintegrated before hitting Earth. The fireball was seen shortly before 8 p.m.

Kathy and Thomas Tobin were driving home to Kent south on Interstate 405 when they saw a huge light overhead going from east to west.

"It was a big red ball of fire, and the hottest part was the tail," Thomas Tobin said.

Kathy Tobin said, "This was huge, and it was going fast."

Auburn

1 killed, 2 wounded by Hwy. 167 gunfire

An unidentified person was killed early yesterday morning on State Highway 167 after a vehicle pulled alongside a late-model Honda Passport and fired multiple shots, the Auburn Police Department reported.

Police said at least seven shots were fired around 1 a.m., after the gunman followed the sport-utility vehicle from a home where a fight had taken place.

"This is not a random shooting," Auburn Police Cmdr. Willard Lathrop said. "This is a continuation of an altercation that took place at a local residence."

The SUV was driving north on the highway when the other car pulled up and opened fire. The SUV swerved across the median and two oncoming lanes before crashing into brush.

The victim was a 19-year-old man; his name was not released yesterday.

Two other people in that car suffered gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening, the Auburn police reported. The victims were treated at Harborview Medical Center.

The second vehicle left the scene, near the West Main Street overpass in Auburn.

The names of the victims were not released because their families had not been notified. Any witnesses are asked to call the Auburn police at 253-931-3080.

Federal Way

2 passengers killed when vehicle hits van

Two women died early yesterday morning when the vehicle they were riding in struck a parked van. The State Patrol is recommending that the driver, a 26-year-old woman who is recovering from her injuries at Harborview Medical Center, be charged with vehicular homicide upon her release from the hospital.

At 4:50 a.m., she was driving south on Interstate 5 near Enchanted Village when her vehicle hit a van abandoned on the right shoulder, according to the State Patrol. Her passengers, both women in their 20s, died, troopers said.

Lynnwood

Man hospitalized after fight, stabbing

A Lynnwood man who was stabbed early yesterday morning is recovering at Stevens Hospital in Edmonds.

At about 3:15 a.m., hospital staff members called police to report the stabbing victim, said Lynnwood police Sgt. Sean Doty. It appeared the man got into a fight with at least three other men at an apartment in the 6500 block of 208th Street Southwest and was stabbed in the chest, said Doty.

Police were still trying to locate the men present when the stabbing occurred.

King County

Councilman Irons to challenge Sims

The Republicans will mount a serious challenge to unseat King County Executive Ron Sims in November.

David Irons, a King County councilman from Sammamish, announced yesterday that he would run against Sims in the next election.

Toledo, Lewis County

Land-speed vehicle hits nearly 200 mph

Crews attempting to race a restored jet fighter to a land-speed record continued their testing at a Toledo airstrip yesterday.

The North American Eagle clocked speeds nearing 200 mph, said crew member Keith Zanghi.

Team members plan to continue testing and increasing speeds throughout the summer before trying to reach 830 mph in September, said Zanghi.

Port Angeles

Boy, 17, hangs self while in detention

A 17-year-old boy died after apparently hanging himself in his cell at the Clallam County juvenile-detention facility, Port Angeles police said.

The boy apparently used a bedsheet to commit suicide when he was alone at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sgt. Eric Kovatch said.

The boy was discovered when a corrections officer brought his cellmate back from a court appearance, Kovatch said. Corrections officers and medics tried to resuscitate the boy, but he was declared dead at a hospital, he said.

The boy, whose name was not released, had been held for investigation of theft and burglary. Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services Director Pete Petersen said an internal review was under way.

Port Angeles

Man, 48, charged with raping teens

A Port Angeles man who is accused of raping two teenage girls in his backyard hot tub last weekend has been charged in Clallam County Superior Court.

Richard Lynn Larson, 48, is charged with two counts of second-degree rape, four counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, one count of possession of marijuana and one count of furnishing liquor to minors.

Charging documents allege that Larson had a gathering of young people at his home the night of March 4 and supplied alcohol and marijuana to minors.

Larson had a previous felony conviction from 1976 for third-degree rape of a child, according to papers filed in court.

He was being held in jail in lieu of $350,000 bail.

Washington, D.C.

Montrail recalls climbing crampons

A Seattle company, Montrail, is recalling hundreds of pairs of mountain-climbing crampons because portions could break off, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday.

The recall affects 969 pairs of the crampons, which were sold at outdoor-equipment retailers nationwide from September 2003 through last Feb. 1.

The recall includes models I-354, I-356 and K-364 sold under the brand names ICE-9 and Khumbu.

Consumers can contact Montrail at 800-826-1598 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PST Monday through Friday.

Ashford, Pierce County

Carbon River Road to reopen tomorrow

Officials at Mount Rainier National Park say the Carbon River Road, which has been closed because of flood damage since mid-January, will reopen to vehicles tomorrow.

The road is subject to flooding and washouts during periods of heavy rain. Park officials urged visitors to use caution.

Times staff and news services