Newswatch

Man killed, son injured in ultralight-aircraft crash

WENATCHEE - A 44-year-old Wenatchee man was killed and his 16-year old son seriously injured when their ultralight aircraft crashed into a house.

Keith Sherwood died at the scene of the 3:15 p.m. accident Sunday. His son, Gabe Sherwood, was in critical condition yesterday at Central Washington Hospital. Nobody in the house was injured.

A witness said it appeared there was a problem with the wing of the plane before it spun into the residential neighborhood.

Wenatchee police yesterday did not know who was piloting the aircraft.

Inmates may face charges in prison damage

CLALLAM BAY, Clallam County - Prisoners at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center ripped out telephones, broke the glass panes in doors, tore up ventilating ducts and apparently tried to set fires, officials said.

The origin of the disturbance Sunday night was unclear and no damage estimate was immediately available, prison spokeswoman Sue Gibbs said. No injuries were reported.

The disorder and damage occurred in the B Unit, a one-to-a-cell close custody area of the prison. Fourteen of the 99 inmates in that sector were transferred to the intensive-management unit, Gibbs said.

They could face criminal charges, and "there will be disciplinary action," she said.

Former fire chief is sentenced in thefts

SPOKANE - A former Chelan County fire chief has been sentenced to a year of probation and fined after being convicted of possession of stolen property.

Rick West was fined $5,000 in the plea agreement. Federal investigators had seized stolen firefighting equipment from the district's stations.

Prosecutors contended West knew his district had taken nearly $150,000 worth of U.S. Forest Service wild-land firefighting equipment. Investigators seized the items during raids on 13 Chelan County Fire District 1 stations in September 1998.

West, 45, pleaded guilty in June. He was sentenced last week.

West, who took permanent disability retirement last year, was the only fire-district official to face a criminal charge after a two-year investigation.

His attorney, Carl Oreskovich, said the Forest Service and other agencies did not track their equipment well and that some equipment had been given to the fire district. He noted West did not personally benefit from the thefts.

Drunken passenger refuses to quit smoking

TOKYO - A drunken Japanese passenger on a Seattle-bound American Airlines jet locked himself in the toilet and refused to quit smoking, forcing the plane to return to Tokyo soon after takeoff, Japanese media reported yesterday.

After lighting up in one of the plane's toilets shortly after takeoff on Sunday evening, the 45-year old man ignored pleas by cabin crew to come out, forcing the jet back to Tokyo's Narita airport about an hour after it took off, Kyodo news agency said.

The man was handed over to authorities at Narita. After receiving a reprimand by airport police, he submitted a written apology saying he would "never do it again," Kyodo reported.

It said American Airlines officials were reportedly seeking compensation from the man for losses caused by his behavior. The plane departed again for Seattle later on Sunday, the news agency said.

Police to address racial-profiling concerns

PORTLAND - Portland police say they will address concerns about racial profiling by collecting data on police stops, hiring and promoting more minorities and strengthening diversity training for officers.

In a report released yesterday, a panel of community leaders outlines five basic recommendations to Portland police Chief Mark Kroeker. The panel sought to determine whether officers stop minority motorists at a higher rate than white drivers.

The Portland Police Bureau wants to begin tracking data on police stops by Jan. 1, and the 18-member panel will meet quarterly to review, analyze and share the information with the public.

Among the panel's recommendations, the bureau should collect detailed data on police stops that include a suspect's age, sex and race when they make a stop; the reason for the stop; whether the person or vehicle was searched; and if so, whether it resulted in an arrest.

Information is from Seattle Times staff and news services.