The identity of the man who was shot and killed June 4 by Wenatchee Police has now been made public, as have the names of the officers involved.  The North Central Washington Special Investigation Unit says the dead man is Zachary C. Rutherford, 32, from Jackson, California. The four officers involved in the incident are Corporal Seth Buhler, Officer Jeff Ward, Officer Stephanie Valencia and Officer Andrew Wilson. The release of Rutherford’s name had been delayed while investigators tried to locate his family. Chelan County Sergeant Jason Reinfeld said the man’s next of kin had now b ..read more

A Mansfield man is charged with eight felonies after police allegedly found three stolen vehicles and a collection of other stolen merchandise at his home. Joseph Lee Cooper, 40, faces counts of stolen vehicle and stolen property possession. Douglas County sheriff’s deputies and Washington State troopers say they recovered three motorcycles, two snowmobiles, and two trailers during a search of Cooper’s residence. Much of the property was listed as stolen from the Spokane and Lake Chelan areas. Cooper must appear in Douglas County Superior Court on June 23. The post Mansfield man accused of ste ..read more

Grant County sheriff’s deputies responded to what was first thought to be a vehicle collision Saturday afternoon outside Moses Lake and instead found a single car on fire with a dead body inside. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said the death is being treated as suspicious. The fully engulfed car was first spotted by an off-duty police officer on South Frontage Road near Road E about 2 miles east of Moses Lake. The officer said he looked in the vehicle but didn’t see anybody inside. But after Grant County Fire District 5 firefighters extinguished the blaze a body was found in the front passe ..read more

The Chelan County PUD is advising people to use extreme caution anywhere near the Chelan River as spring spills are under way to control Lake Chelan water levels. The PUD said people should stay on trails in the upper reaches of the river and abide by no-trespassing signs, especially in the Chelan River Gorge. The gorge is a narrow, rocky channel of the Chelan River where there is limited cell service and rescues are extremely difficult, the PUD said. River levels can change quickly on the river, creating fast currents and potential entrapment. The PUD said the spills will likely continue into ..read more

Firefighters responded to a report of smoke this afternoon inside Lake Roosevelt Junior/Senior High School in Coulee Dam. The Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department reported they found a malfunctioning heater in the gym weight room with smoke in a couple rooms. They did not find any actual fire. Firefighters assisted school personnel in ventilating the rooms and there were no injuries. The last day of school in the Grand Coulee Dam School District in this Friday. The post Malfunctioning heater send smoke into part of Coulee Dam school appeared first on NCWLIFE ..read more

A brush fire outside Monitor burned to within 100 feet of where a new home is being built early this afternoon. The fire sent heavy smoke across Highway 2/97 and the Washington State Patrol was asked to help with traffic control. Chelan County Fire District 6 was assisted by Chelan County Fire District 1 is fighting the fire, which was in the 5000 block of Old Monitor Road. The fire was first reported about 12:45 p.m. in light and heavy brush. By 1:10 firefighters had the fire in overhaul. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The post Brush fire near Monitor sends heavy smoke across h ..read more

A shed-like structure off South Chelan Avenue in Wenatchee that was apparently being used as a living place by squatters was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning. Kay McKellar of Chelan County Fire District 1 said the fire just after 7 a.m. in the 800 block of South Chelan Avenue also did minor damage to two outbuildings on a neighboring property. The initial structure fire was on the same property where a home was destroyed by fire in the past, she said. As of Monday morning, fire officials had been unable to make contact with the property owners. Nobody was injured. There were two people w ..read more

A homeless man who was apparently digging beneath the Wenatchee River Bridge in north Wenatchee Sunday afternoon was killed when dirt caved in on him, the Wenatchee Police Department said. Police responded to a report from another homeless person about 1 p.m. in an area beneath the south side of the northbound portion of the bridge. Capt. Edgar Reinfeld said the man was apparently digging a hole or cave when it caved in and crushed him. Authorities have not yet identified the man but Reinfeld said police had had contact with him last Thursday near Walmart, not far from the bridge. But he gave ..read more

A Quincy man was killed Saturday night on Highway 28 five miles west of Quincy when the motorcycle he was driving collided with the back of a pickup.  According to the Washington State Patrol, Eduardo Acevedo, 24, was driving eastbound on the highway shortly after 10 p.m. on a 2007 Honda CBR 600 when, after passing one vehicle, his motorcycle struck the back of a 1997 Dodge Dakota pickup being driven by Cameron Nelson, 37, of Ellensburg.  The accident occurred near the rest stop at the top of the Trinidad grade.  Acevedo was pronounced dead at the scene, Nelson was not injured ..read more

One of three people injured in a two-car accident a month ago on Highway 281 south of Quincy has died from her injuries. Elza Cisneros Gonzalez, 42, of Mattawa was the driver of the 2008 Chevy HHR that struck a pickup on the passenger side early in the morning of May 10.  Cisneros Gonzalez died rom her injuries Monday at Central Washington Hospital. Cisneros Gonzalez and her 3-year-old passenger had to be extricated from the burning vehicle but neither suffered burn injuries. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The post Mattawa woman involved in May wreck near Quincy di ..read more