NW briefs

Overturned semi spills hazardous chemical on I-90, killing driver

CLE ELUM, Wash. - A semitrailer carrying hazardous material crashed on Interstate 90 in central Washington, killing the driver, sending fumes into the air and causing some residences to be temporarily evacuated.

Washington State Patrol Trooper John Bryant said hazmat crews plugged a vent in a 1,000-gallon tank that punctured in the crash and released anhydrous ammonia, a gas widely used on farms as nitrogen fertilizer.

Eastbound lanes of I-90 between Cle Elum and Ellensburg re-opened to traffic in the afternoon, while westbound lanes re-opened at 8 p.m.

Bryant said the truck was heading west with four tanks of anhydrous ammonia Wednesday morning when the driver apparently lost control, veered into the median and rolled over.

One of the tanks punctured. The crash ignited a blaze that firefighters quickly put out.

Bryant said hazmat crews and others cleared the scene. One trooper was treated and released from a local hospital for possible exposure to the chemical.

Deep-fried pancakes spark apartment blaze

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - A man said he was deep-frying pancakes early in the morning when the cooking oil caught fire and spread throughout an apartment complex in Lynnwood north of Seattle.

The Lynnwood Fire Department said the blaze caused an estimated $500,000 in damage and displaced about 18 people. No injuries were reported. Five apartment units were damaged.

The fire happened about 3 a.m. Wednesday.

The man told local news media that he was deep-frying pancakes when the grease caught fire. He said he was able to get his young son out of the building, but couldn't put the fire out.

Body of missing hiker recovered by searchers

YAKIMA - Searchers have recovered the body of a 60-year-old hiker who went missing on Mount Adams a few weeks ago.

Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins on Wednesday identified the hiker as Robert Burroughs of Stevenson. Hawkins said he died of head and body injuries after falling more than 2,000 feet.

Yakima County Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Briscoe said rescuers located the body on the popular South Climb route at about 8,000 foot elevation on the volcano. It took rescue teams from several agencies six hours to bring him down the mountain Tuesday morning.

A skier found the body in a snow chute Sunday, but weather conditions delayed recovery efforts.

The search for Burroughs began July 17 after authorities received a cellphone call from him. He reported being injured after getting disoriented in fog and falling down a slope. He reported a head injury and was unable to tell searchers where he was.

Man gets 110 years for raping pregnant woman

BILLINGS, Mont. - A Montana man is facing 110 years in prison after being found guilty of raping and assaulting a pregnant woman.

The Billings Gazette reported that Jessy Lee Williams, 35, was sentenced to Montana State Prison Tuesday on charges of sexual intercourse without consent, aggravated burglary and aggravated assault.

He won't be eligible to seek parole until he is at least 60 years old.

The victim testified during Williams' trial last November that he broke into her home in March 2014 and she woke up with his hands around her neck. Williams has maintained that the sex was consensual.

Yellowstone County District Judge Gregory Todd said it was hard to find any mitigating factors in Williams' case.

Williams apologized to his victim during the sentencing.

Montana man has Zika virus

BILLINGS, Mont. - Health officials said a Yellowstone County man in his 50s has been diagnosed with the Zika virus.

County Health Officer John Felton told The Billings Gazette the man, whose name has not been released, was infected with the virus during his travels in a "Zika-infested area." Felton, who also is CEO of RiverStone Health, declined to say where the man had traveled.

The state's first diagnosed case of the Zika virus was reported in a Missoula County woman in February. She had recently returned from a Zika-affected area and is not pregnant.

The virus has been linked with microcephaly in children born to women who had the infection. Zika is caused by a virus spread by the bite of an infected mosquito species that is not found in Montana.

Associated Press