3 vehicles, cow involved in wreck near Ephrata

By Paula Horton, Herald staff writer

A motorcyclist who hit a cow in the middle of Highway 28 just east of Ephrata was involved in a second collision just moments later caused by a suspected drunken driver, police said.

Russel Triplett, 59, of Soap Lake, was driving west on the highway at 11:45 p.m. Tuesday when he ran into the cow, the Washington State Patrol said.

Dora Coreas Guzman, 46, of Ephrata, stopped behind Triplett and turned on the hazard lights on her 2006 Toyota sedan to warn other motorists about the motorcycle crash, troopers said.

Debra Nelson, 41, of Ephrata, didn't stop and crashed her 1998 Ford Windstar van into Coreas Guzman's car, troopers said.

The impact caused Coreas Guzman's car to spin into Triplett and his 2008 Suzuki DL650 motorcycle.

Nelson's car continued about a quarter-mile before it stopped. Her van was totaled, but she was not hurt. She is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, troopers said.

Triplett was taken to Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane. Coreas Guzman was taken to Columbia Basin Hospital in Quincy with a neck fracture.

Four passengers in Coreas Guzman's car -- a 3-year-old boy, two girls, 11 and 12, and Cora Coreas, 36 -- were not hurt.

Everyone was wearing a seat belt and Triplett did have an approved helmet.

Richland bomb squad respond to box with wires in Kennewick

The Richland Police Bomb Squad was called out late Tuesday after a suspicious box with wires was found at a Kennewick convenience store.

Kennewick police were called at 9:15 p.m. to the store and gas station at Fourth Avenue and Union Street after the device was found, said Officer Tony Valdez.

A customer spotted the device on an air conditioning unit outside and reported it to an employee.

Officers used binoculars to try to identify the item, then called the bomb squad. Bomb squad technicians used a remote control robot to safely get close enough to destroy it.

The area around the store was cordoned off for about 90 minutes, Valdez said.

Nothing was found in the device that would cause it to explode, but investigators still are trying to determine what it was, Valdez said. It may have been homemade and meant to be a hoax, or possibly was an electrical meter or some type of equipment accidentally left behind by a worker, he said.

Pasco man arrested in alleged burglary

A 22-year-old Pasco man was arrested Wednesday after he was caught burglarizing a Sunnyside home, police said.

Sunnyside police were called at 8 a.m. to the 500 block of Franklin Avenue after a caretaker for the home interrupted the burglary, said Charlotte Hinderlider, department spokeswoman.

The caretaker told officers what direction the man headed and the suspect was arrested within minutes, she said.

Jesus A. Ramos-Mendez reportedly was identified by witnesses and booked into the Sunnyside City jail on suspicion of burglary. No items were reported missing from the home.

Sunnyside police arrest 4 youths over graffiti

Four kids caught on camera writing graffiti on a Sunnyside business were arrested after a Sunnyside officer recognized one of the boys, police said.

The manager of the business in the 1200 block of South Sixth Street called police just after 11 a.m. Wednesday after he found the graffiti, said Charlotte Hinderlider, Sunnyside police spokeswoman.

The juveniles -- later identified as a 12-year-old girl, two 11-year-old boys and a 9-year-old boy -- were seen on the store's security video writing on the walls with black ink, she said.

An officer recognized one boy and found him near his home, Hinderlider said. The other kids also were found and taken to the Sunnyside Police Department and will be booked into the Yakima County juvenile detention center on suspicious of malicious mischief.

Crime Stoppers seeking Pasco man in drug deal

Pasco police and Tri-City Crime Stoppers are searching for a Pasco man wanted for escape and delivering meth.

Angel Rey Beltran, 22, is 5-foot-6, 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

He was last known to be living in the 2500 block of West Sylvester Street.

Beltran has two warrants for his arrest. One for failing to appear on a meth delivery charge and one from the state Department of Corrections for escape from community custody on original charges of malicious mischief and bail jumping.

Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers pays a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information that results in a felony arrest.

Anyone with information about Beltran's whereabouts can call 586-8477 or visit www.tricitiescrimestoppers. org. Tips can also be sent by text message by writing "Text TIP 411" plus the message to CRIMES (274637).

All calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential.

w Paula Horton: 582-1556; phorton@tricityherald.com

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Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009

3 vehicles, cow involved in wreck near Ephrata

By Paula Horton, Herald staff writer