Driver who hit cop blames dog for crash

Seattle

A woman who hit an off-duty Seattle police officer flagging traffic near Queen Anne said her puppy caused her to lose control of her car.

Hilary Dutton, 22, said she was making a turn around the officer just before 2 p.m. Tuesday when Cocky, her 4-month-old pit bull, jumped into her lap and onto the steering wheel, causing her to swerve into the officer.

Police spokesman Mark Jamieson said the off-duty officer, a 26-year veteran, was flagging traffic in the 1400 block of Elliott Avenue West when he was struck. He said the 57-year-old officer's neck and legs were injured.

He was taken to Harborview Medical Center, and his injuries were not life-threatening, Seattle Fire spokeswoman Dana Vander Houwen said.

Dutton said she was on her way to the Department of Licensing to renew her expired driver's license when she hit the officer.

Dutton said Tuesday night she hadn't been charged. She said that she'd been checking regularly to see how the officer was and that she won't drive again with Cocky in the car.

Everett

Slain man ID'd as Shoreline resident

A 38-year-old man who was shot to death Monday in Everett has been identified as Cory Hamilton of Shoreline.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the case a homicide.

Police received a call of shots fired at the home in the 2400 block of 75th Street Southeast Monday, and when officers arrived, they found Hamilton dead in the driveway, said Sgt. Robert Goetz.

Anyone who has information is asked to call the Everett police tip line: 425-257-8450.

Federal Way

Memorial on Aug. 7 for fire chief

A memorial for Dan Packer, the Pierce County fire chief who was killed Saturday while fighting a California wildfire, has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Aug. 7 at Christian Faith Center, 33645 20th Ave. S., Federal Way. The public is invited to attend.

Packer, 49, the East Pierce Fire & Rescue chief, had been deployed in a supervisory role Friday to the Panther fire in the Klamath National Forest in Northern California. He reportedly left to survey the fire and develop a plan to fight it but got caught in its path.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made at any Washington Mutual bank to the Fire Chief Dan Packer Memorial Fund. Stories, condolences and photographs can be submitted by going to www.mem.com and entering Packer's name.

Seattle

Trinidad passes on state's old ferries

The government of Trinidad is no longer interested in purchasing the state's old passenger ferries.

According to Washington State Ferries, the Snohomish and Chinook went through sea trials with an Australian surveyor representing Trinidad, but after seeing a report from the surveyor, the nation said it was no longer interested.

The state twice tried to sell the two boats on eBay but got no bidders.

The Washington Legislature ordered the boats be sold and the proceeds go to local governments, such as King County, which is trying to start passenger-ferry service.

Ferry spokeswoman Marta Coursey said the state will now contact other marine brokers to try to sell the two boats.

Seattle

Poll workers sought for primary election

With the primary election less than a month away, King County Elections is still looking for 700 people to fill poll-worker positions.

Bilingual poll workers are needed throughout King County to provide language assistance to Chinese voters with limited English proficiency.

Poll workers are responsible for opening and closing the polls and issuing ballots to voters. Those interested in working can call the Poll Worker Coordination Office at 206-296-1606. For more information, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/elections/.

Seattle

Microsoft worker identified in attack

A North Dakota man who was hospitalized after a fight in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood early Sunday has been identified as Daniel Stoy, a Microsoft worker from Fargo. Stoy, who was in Seattle for a company conference, suffered a severe head injury.

Witnesses told police Daniel Stoy was confronted by five or six people Sunday outside a bar in the Belltown neighborhood. He was knocked down and hit his head.

Stoy was unconscious when taken to Harborview Medical Center and placed in intensive care. He awoke from the coma Monday and told his family he doesn't remember the attack.

His father, Patrick Stoy, a doctor, says his 29-year-old son might have speech and memory problems for years.

Police are checking surveillance tapes to identify suspects.

Seattle

Nudist, tenants part company

Police helped a couple move into a hotel room last week after being called twice to a tenant-landlord dispute over pictures of "naked ladies" and the landlord's proclivity for walking around nude.

According to Seattle police, a man had been renting a room in a nudist's home on Florentia Street in Queen Anne since the beginning of July. He had no problem with the landlord's nudity or pictures of "naked ladies" on the walls, according to a police report on the July 24 altercation.

But his girlfriend, who'd just moved in, wasn't "dealing with it," he told police.

The boyfriend told police he'd asked the landlord to change his behavior, but the landlord refused. The landlord told police his home was "an artist studio and a naturalist environment and that nudity came with the deal."

Police brokered a compromise, according to the report.

The couple retrieved their belongings from the home and turned over the keys. The landlord refunded them a portion of their rent. Police helped the two get resettled at a hotel.

Washington, D.C.

Trawling boundary set for Bering Sea

The National Marine Fisheries Service last week established a northern boundary for Bering Sea bottom-trawling, a move designed to protect an area that could become more attractive to fishing fleets if global warming causes commercial fish populations to migrate further north.

The move makes almost 180,000 square miles of the Bering Sea off-limits and would take effect in August.

Bering Sea bottom trawlers can continue to work in all other areas south of that boundary, which have long been open to the vessels that scoop up fish as they drag nets along the bottom. Many of the vessels are based in Seattle.

Supporters of the northern boundary included Oceana and other conservation groups.

"Considering the current and future impacts of climate change, these regulations are an important step towards giving our oceans and fisheries the best change for survival," said Jon Warrenchuk, a marine scientist with Oceana.

Auburn

Motorcycle officer injured in crash

A motorcycle officer was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center on Tuesday after he was struck by a car while responding to an accident.

Officer Patrick Douglas, 34, an eight-year veteran with the department, was driving into oncoming traffic with his lights and sirens going when a car hit the rear of his bike at an intersection, said Auburn police spokesman Sgt. Scott Near.

Douglas suffered a broken wrist and other minor injuries, Near said. He said police are investigating whether to pursue charges.

Madison, Wis.

3 activists indicted in 2000 vandalism

A grand jury has indicted three environmental activists, including a Washington state man, for their roles in a July 2000 vandalism spree at a U.S. Forest Service property in northern Wisconsin.

The three are identified as Bryan Rivera, of Olympia; Katherine Christianson, of Santa Fe, N.M.; and Aaron Ellringer, of Eau Claire, Wis.

Prosecutors say Christianson, Rivera and two others damaged 500 trees used for research and numerous government vehicles at the U.S. Forest Service property in Rhinelander. Ellringer was their driver.

Prosecutors say the three are affiliated with the Earth Liberation Front and Earth First, groups that have used vandalism and arson to protest environmental practices.

Attorneys representing the three did not immediately return messages.

Times staff and news services