Fatality, injury result from Rainier Avenue dispute

A 30-year-old man was fatally shot Wednesday night during a dispute about half a block off Rainier Avenue South.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office yesterday identified the man as Felix Alvarado-Chic. He died from a gunshot wound to the chest, and his death has been ruled a homicide.

Seattle police were called just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to the 3500 block of South Adams Street, said spokesman Rich Pruitt. During a dispute involving several people, a single gunshot was fired, striking Alvarado-Chic in the chest. He later died at Harborview Medical Center.

A second person received a head injury and was taken to a hospital, where detectives interviewed him, he said.

The shooter ran away. A police dog was unable to find the person.

Sammamish

Driver dies in SR20 motorcycle crash

A 35-year-old Sammamish man died yesterday around 2 p.m. when his motorcycle struck a rock wall off Highway 20 near Diablo Dam.

State Patrol troopers said Scott Matthew Hanan was speeding on a 1998 Ducati motorcycle east on the highway when he failed to complete a turn and drove off the road into the wall.

The motorcycle was totaled.

Hanan was wearing a helmet, troopers said.

Covington

Deputies seek aid in solving shooting

King County sheriff's deputies are seeking help from the public in solving the shooting death of 19-year-old Alefosio Hefa of Seattle, killed at a Covington house party over the weekend.

"We're still continuing to interview people, but we're looking for more help if anyone knows anything," said Sgt. Calvin Beringer.

A search warrant was served in Seattle on Wednesday , and three people were taken into custody on unrelated warrants; however, deputies have not determined if they are connected to the homicide.

Anyone with information should call the Major Crimes Unit, 206-296-7530, or e-mail detectives at MCUTIPS@metrokc.gov

Seattle

Church's Dye leaves abuse-outreach post

Jessie Dye, the Seattle Roman Catholic Archdiocese's outreach coordinator for clergy-abuse victims, has resigned.

Some victims had objected to Dye, who is an attorney, saying they were concerned that she was working with the archdiocese's legal-defense team and that having an attorney as the victim-outreach coordinator would deter other victims from coming forward.

Dye had objected to those characterizations, saying she had not practiced law since getting her degree in 1976, that her specialty was in mediation, and that she has worked as a church ombudsman on sexual-abuse issues for years.

Her resignation is not a response to victims' objections, she said yesterday; rather, she wanted to take time off and then work on long-term projects.

Dye's resignation is good news, said Jim Biteman of the Seattle chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "Victims of sexual abuse by clergy don't need to talk to a lawyer for the archdiocese, they need to talk to someone who is going to be sincere in their heart about wanting to help those who call."

Dye's replacement is Denise Aubuchon, who has a background in human resources and has worked with the archdiocese for nine years, including training employees in abuse prevention.

Port Orchard

Custody intrusion gets woman 6 months

A Bainbridge Island woman who hid in New Zealand for three years with her young son in a custody dispute was sentenced Wednesday to six months in jail.

With credit for time served, Juliette C. Gilbert, 37, likely will spend about another three months behind bars after pleading guilty to custodial interference.

She was sentenced by Kitsap County Superior Court Judge M. Karlynn Haberly.

Gilbert surfaced in New Zealand earlier this year, but then vanished again. She was on the FBI's most-wanted list and eventually was arrested in April and returned to the United States, along with her son, Sky, who is now 9.

Gilbert and her son vanished when Gilbert and her ex-husband, Robby Gilbert, were divorced and sharing custody.

SeaTac

Runway lights fail; flights diverted

Flights headed for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were diverted for about two hours yesterday morning after approach lights at the north end of the runway failed.

Compounding the problem was fog, which prevented the planes from landing from the south, said airport spokesman Bob Parker.

He said more than 20 flights were diverted to Portland, Bellingham, Wenatchee and Victoria and Vancouver, B.C. Arrivals resumed after the fog lifted.

The lights went out after a part failed, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer. The part was replaced yesterday afternoon in time for nighttime flights.

Tacoma

Couple convicted for tax evasion

A federal jury convicted a hotel-owning Vancouver, Wash., couple of tax evasion for not paying more than $100,000 in income tax in 1996. The couple also did not file tax returns at all from 1998 through 2002.

Prosecutors said Thomas D. Weathers, 54, and Kathy J. Weathers, 52, made more than $1 million a year from their three hotels in Portland, Ore., and other properties. Rather than pay taxes, the Weatherses told the Internal Revenue Service they earned zero income.

Times staff and news services