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Check YVN Archives for past Yakima Sheriff's stories
- Dead man found near Granger
- GRANGER (Sunday, 12-27-98)---Yakima County sheriff's deputies have located the body of a Mexican male near here, officers reported. They were alerted by an unidentified caller at 8 a.m. Dec. 27.
- The dead man, possibly in his 20s, was found lying in a blue, 1986 Pontiac Firebird on the south branch of Nass Road. That stretch runs between Nass and Emerald Roads.
- Deputies said no other persons or vehicles were present when they arrived at the scene. The man reportedly suffered trauma to the head, but the cause of death was not officially determined this morning.
- Deputies said they haven't identified the man. Ownership of the car apparently had not been determined.
- An autopsy tentatively is scheduled for Monday. No suspects have been arrested. Those wanting or possessing information may call Lt. Ken Irwin at (509) 574-2545 after 8 a.m. Monday.
- Roads were slick for old St. Nick
- YAKIMA COUNTY-- (Friday, 12-25-98)---Down it came, the freezing rain, and for county drivers, it was a pain. Took 20 minutes to get 'cross town; my, watch those cars spin roun' and roun'.
- The Yakima County Sheriff's warning to motorists didn't come out exactly like that. They said "the roads within the Yakima County, and the highways are extremely slick due to weather conditions."
- Top speed is 30 m.p.h., they said. They advised folks to drive only as necessary.
- Leaving out all the cuss words, one driver was overheard to say...well, nothing.
Bros. in law shoot it out; 1 arrested
- SELAH (Thursday, 12-24-98)---Brothers in law shot it out in the 2700 block of Highway 12 at 11:15 this evening, according to deputies.
- The intended victim, Carl Fitterer, 28, was shot at but not hit. He returned fire with a shotgun and hit suspect Jeff Arthur Wood, 31, deputies said.
- After buckshot flew, Wood reportedly fled to a residence in the 500 block of South First St. in Selah. That's where Selah police and deputies got together and arrested him. Charges weren't specified.
- Cops didn't say what Wood was shooting, but it apparently wasn't as combat efficient as a shotgun. Wood was taken to Providence Hospital in Yakima where he was treated for non-life-threatening wounds.
- Motive for the shooting is still under investigation, according to Lt. Ken Irwin. Merry Christmas.
3-vehicle crash involves tractor
- SUNNYSIDE (Friday, 12-12-98)---A three-vehicle crash at 4:40 p.m. today involved a John Deere Tractor, 1998 Chev truck, and a car of unreported pedigree, according to reports.
- Deputies said tractor driver Darrell R. Tadlock, 30, of Sunnyside, received no injuries in the incident. The tractor reportedly received no damages.
- Driver of the Chev truck Bonny I. Wutzke, 32, of Sunnyside, also was not injured, but her truck was totaled, according to officers.
- Driver of the car, Maria E. Morfin, 28, of Outlook, complained of a sore chest. Her passenger, Uriel Mendoza, 6, suffered a swollen left eye. Other passengers in the Morfin vehicle included Marcial Mendoza, 7, and Ana Mendoza, 8, who reportedly suffered no injuries. Morfin's car was totaled.
- Deputies said Tadlock's tractor was westbound on Midvale road, but stopped in the roadway with no lights or reflective devices. Wutzke's truck, also northbound, hit the rear end of the tractor and caromed into the southbound lane, where it collided with Morfin's southbound car.
- The accident on wet pavement isn't under investigation for alcohol use, deputies said. Medical treatment was reportedly refused by all. No citations were issued, reports indicated.
Sunnysiders hurt in crash
- SUNNYSIDE (Friday, 12-11-98)---Three Sunnyside residents suffered injuries in a van-pickup crash at Van Belle and Cemetery Rds. at 8:30 a.m. today, according to deputies.
Injured in the 1994 Ford van were Heather Smasne, 28, and Ethan Smasne 3. The van received an estimated $8,000 in damages.
- Heather suffered a dislocated neck, and Ethan a forehead abrasian. Deputies said they were transferred to Sunnyside Hospital, but Ethan was transferred again to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
- Aaron Burg, 43, driver of the 1993 Ford pickup, reportedly suffered possible fractured ribs and fractured left wrist. He was transferred to Sunnyside Community Hospital. His pickup was totaled in the collision.
- Deputies said Berg was westbound on Van Belle Rd., and Smasne was northbound on Cemetery Rd. when the collision occurred. Deputies said Smasne failed to stop for the stop sign. No alcohol use was apparent,deputies said.
- Yakima man shot, killed
- YAKIMA (Saturday, 12-5-98)---A warrant has been issued for Jorge Mendoza, 20, following the shooting death of Jose Luis Garcia, according to Sheriff's deputies.
- Mendoza is a Hispanic male, 5' 3" tall, weighing 110 pounds. He is believed to be driving a white 1985 Buick Somerset two-door, WA license place No. WQW 713. The car has tinted glass and a white flower appliqué on the right side windows.
- Anyone with information concerning the location of the suspect or his car are urged to contact deputies at (509) 574-2500 or toll free at (800) 572-0490.
- Garcia was shot and killed in the 5500 block of Nob Hill Blvd. according to Yakima County sheriff's deputies. He reportedly suffered several gunshot wounds to the upper body.
- Preliminary investigation revealed the victim was a longtime acquaintance of the suspected killer. Deputies said friction between Garcia and Mendoza over a domestic issue apparently led to the shooting.
Four hurt in car crash
- SUNNYSIDE (Monday, 12-7-98)---Four persons were injured Sunday evening in a two-car collision at the intersection of Alexander Rd. and Yakima Valley Highway, according to deputies.
- Driver of a 1988 Ford four-door was was Leslie Driesen, 17. Her passenger was Melinda Driesen, 16. Both girls are from Sunnyside. Deputies said the Ford was totaled.
- Driver of a 1997 Pontiac four door was April Stoneking, 21, of Grandview. Her passenger was James Elatico, 20 of Prosser. Pontiac damages were estimated at $5,000.
- Deputies said Driesen was eastbound on Yakima Valley Highway and was attempting to turn north on Alexander Road when her car was involved in a collision with Stoneking's car which was westbound on Yakima Valley Highway. Only Melinda Driesen was wearing a seatbelt, deputies said.
- All four were transported to Sunnyside Community Hospital and treated for minor head neck and back injuries, according to deputies.
- Yakima man shot, killed
- YAKIMA (Saturday, 12-5-98)---A 19-year old Yakima man has been shot and killed in the 5500 block of Nob Hill Blvd. according to a report at 1:30 p.m. today from Yakima County sheriff's deputies.
- Officers said the victim was identified as Jose Luis Garcia of Yakima. He reportedly suffered several gunshot wounds to the upper body.
- Preliminary investigation revealed the victim was a longtime acquaintance of the suspected killer, who was not immediately named. Deputies said friction between the two over a domestic issue apparently led to the shooting.
- Deputies are looking for a 20-year old Hispanic male, 5' 3" tall, weighing 110 pounds. He is believed to be driving a white 1985 Buick Somerset two-door, WA license place No. WQW 713. The car has tinted glass and a white flower appliqué on the right side windows.
- Anyone with information concerning the location of the suspect or his car are urged to contact deputies at (509) 574-2500 or toll free at (800) 572-0490.
- Girl victim of home invasion
- SUNNYSIDE (Thursday, 12-3-98)---Yakima County Sheriff's deputies haven't made progress yet to identify thugs who broke into a Midvale Road home 20 days ago and beat up a 14-year old white girl.
- Lt. Ken Irwin told YVN "it was an unusual crime".
- "We have no update. We had a couple of leads, but none have panned out" he said. Deputies are on the case, and would appreciate any information the public an offer toll free at (800) 572-0490.
- He noted the girl attends a Sunnyside School, and apparently could not identify her attackers, what ethnic group they belong to, whether they spoke Spanish or English, what accent they spoke with, what clothing they wore, what they called each other, whether they had liquor or tobacco on their breath, left any fingerprints, what they might have been looking for, or any other information about them.
- YVN spoke with Buford Baze, 750 Midvale Rd., father of the girl. He noted his daughter "gets along with everyone and has no enemies in school that anyone knows about."
- When asked if he believed it might be a gang initiation, he said, "They really trashed our house. There are a lot of gangs around here. But usually they leave their marks on the walls. There was none of that," he said.
- The girl was assaulted and injured at about 8 p.m. Nov. 17 after masked thugs broke into her home at 750 Midvale Rd.
- Police said suspects entered her home, struck her on the head and back with a baseball bat, then bound her hands and feet with duct tape. Thugs then threw a blanket over her head, and told her a bomb was taped to her body. Then they ransacked the girl's home.
- The girl was found this way when her mother came home from work. The bomb turned out to be an electrical battery charger, which was taped to the girl's left arm. The girl suffered bruises to her head and back, according to Deputy Derek Artz, first to arrive on the scene.