Man charged in strangling death

SEATTLE — A man who told police he was worried about his girlfriend because she missed their 3-year-old son's birthday has been charged with her murder.

Yesterday, King County prosecutors filed second-degree murder charges against Mark Rooks, 39, of Kent, who is being held on $750,000 bail.

His girlfriend, Amanda Gurr, was last seen alive by her stepfather, Steve Gurr, July 11 at her Kent apartment. Rooks told King County sheriff's deputies he had last seen Gurr June 8, when they took their son to Woodland Park Zoo.

However, Rooks' half brother told them Rooks had killed Gurr, court documents say. He led deputies to Gurr's body in a wooded area near Des Moines.

Prosecutors say Rooks strangled Gurr.

DUI citations drop slightlyunder stricter alcohol levels

OLYMPIA — Washington state's decision to lower the legal blood-alcohol level for driving has caused a surprising, if slight, drop in the number of drunken-driving citations.

The state lowered the maximum legal blood-alcohol level from 0.1 percent to 0.08 percent on Jan. 1, 1999. At the time, critics worried that the change would flood the courts with cases.

But records released this week by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission showed a slight decline in the number of citations: 37,661 last year, down about 1,000 from 1998.

Spokeswoman Jonna VanDyk said the commission attributed the decrease to greater public awareness, due in large part to warning signs that went up along roads when the law went into effect.

Decision delayed on statusof boy charged with murder

TACOMA — A decision on whether to try a teenage slaying suspect as an adult has been delayed until January. Prosecutors and defense attorneys say they need more time to prepare.

Prosecutors allege the 15-year-old boy, from Graham, Pierce County, fatally shot his cousin and wounded his aunt Aug. 26 during an argument over the death of one of the aunt's dogs.

The boy was arrested after a standoff and charged with first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder.

If tried and convicted as an adult, the boy faces a maximum sentence of 56 years and eight months in prison. If he is convicted as a juvenile, the maximum sentence would be incarceration in a juvenile-detention center until he is 21.

Information is from Seattle Times staff and news services.