December 2012

**Happy New Year everyone, here's to a safe, productive and happy 2013! Thank you for checking out the Police Blotter and other Herald news. We greatly appreciate your support of local journalism** - Ty Swenson

“I have an emergency!”
Around 6 p.m. on Dec. 17 a woman was waiting at a bus stop near the corner of Delridge Way S.W. and S.W. Trenton St. when she was approached by a man who asked if she had change for a $20. She declined, and kept an eye on him as he sauntered away, noticing him stop to talk with another man down the block. Soon, the second man walked up to her and proclaimed, “I need to use your phone, I need to call my wife! I have an emergency!” She declined the second request, and the suspect responded, “I’ll hurt you if you don’t give it to me!” The victim held out her phone, hoping not to be attacked, and the suspect took it. As he walked away, the suspect continued to assure the victim he was just calling his wife … until he was out of sight. No other descriptors were given, but the suspect was wearing a NASCAR jacket with red piping and a large DUPONT patch on the back.

Lost, found, lost again

By Cassandra Baker

9:53 p.m., December 23. 87th block of 24th Ave NW

A woman called police on the night of December 23 when she began to fear that three men were attempting to abduct her and her boyfriend. Police arrived at the scene and were unable to locate anyone on the property. They knocked on the door to the residence and observed a male walking nearby. The man had dried blood on his face and a facial injury. Some of his knuckles appeared to be swollen.

Police attempted to speak with the victim, but he was incoherent, although he did not appear to be intoxicated. The victim did not want to answer questions, but he did tell police that he was walking outside with a flashlight and an unknown male attacked him. The victim was revealed to be the boyfriend of the complainant, and he said that she had seen everything and would be able to identify his attacker.

A tradition among some. Totally arbitrary to most. We’ll get on with covering 2013 but first, here are my Top 10 Stories of 2012:

1. North Highline voters overwhelmingly reject annexation to Burien
Burien City Manager Mike Martin promised no big changes if it passed and King County officials predicted dire consequences if it didn’t. But the opponents came on strong in the end.

I suspect some city staffers secretly breathed a sign of relief when annexation failed. Having covered Highline Public Schools for many years, I know how intractable and expensive the problems are when dealing with low to moderate-income areas. Burien already has a lot on its plate.

Annexation is supposedly the issue that tore the community apart but I would be hard pressed to name more than a dozen people in Burien who were torn apart and they were the winners. As for White Center, the Civil War between those who want things to remain the same and those pressing for change has been going on since at least the early 1950s.

Ex-SeaTac employee charged with stealing gun from luggage
A former Sea-Tac International Airport baggage handler is facing a first-degree theft of a firearm charge for allegedly stealing a pistol from an Oregon man’s luggage in November and then trying to sell it, according to the Seattle PI.

Twenty-one-year-old Uriel Ochoa-Valenzuela was working for Menzies Aviation when prosecutors contend he stole the gun from an Alaska Airline passenger’s bag.

Later on, he tried to sell it to a coworker for $200. The coworker talked to authorities, and investigators set up a controlled buy to confirm the firearm was stolen.

Ochoa admitted to his coworker that he had stolen the gun and several other items during the transaction, leading to his arrest and the seizure of more loot from his car.

King County- the consequences and risks of celebratory gunfire can be serious and the King County Sheriff’s Office is saying, “Don’t Do It!”

“Any bullet fired from a gun must land somewhere and the risks of causing an injury or death is significant”, said King County Sheriff John Urquhart

Every year around the country people are injured and killed by celebratory gunfire and law enforcement officials want to keep that from happening in King County.

The Sheriff’s Office said if they can pinpoint someone shooting they will fully enforce the law. At a minimum a person can be charged with Reckless Endangerment and if convicted can land the shooter in jail for up to 364 days and imposed a fine of up to $5,000.

Sheriff Urquhart’s bottom line on New Year’s Eve, “Don’t spend your last day of 2012 in jail. Have fun but don’t risk lives.”

Sergeant Cindi West
King County Sheriff's Office
Public Information Officer

Cell-206-255-0778
Twitter-KingcosoPIO

During the summer of 2012 Western Washington had 81 days without measurable rain. That, coupled with fires in Siberia, and later fires on the Olympic peninsula and eastern Washington made atmospheric conditions that were without equal.

Patrick and Kimberly Robinson went out literally every single one of those evenings to take a sunset photograph, as much to record it, as to share it with all of you. It was a singular summer in many ways. Even after the string of rainless days was broken, sunsets continued to be striking.

This is an area blessed with spectacular natural beauty, and this summer we had a chance to truly see it at its very best.

Thank you to all our readers who commented and enjoyed these photos throughout the year. It's been our absolute privilege to share them with you.

Note: Many of these have been previously shared on Facebook only and are published on WestSeattleHerald.com for the first time.

From the Seattle Police blotter - written by Detective Renee Witt

On 12/18/12, just shortly before 11:00 a.m., the victim was laying in bed at her home in the 6300 block of 42 Av SW with her three-year-old daughter when she was awakened to the sound of her front door being kicked in.

The victim heard footsteps coming up the stairs and suddenly two men burst into her bedroom yelling and pointing guns at her and her daughter. The suspects demanded all of the victim’s money and valuables or they would shoot her.

The suspects went throughout the victim’s house and collected cash, jewelry and her purse. The suspects fled the scene in an unknown direction.

On 12/20/12, the victim positively identified one of the suspects, from a photomontage. The victim was very scared that the suspects were going to come back and kill her.

Richard Crist of Burien told KOMO-TV that his legally purchased and registered handgun was delivered to the wrong address on Christmas Eve, and he wants someone to take responsibility for what he calls a "dangerous mistake."

He had sent his gun in for repairs. When the gun was shipped back by FedEx it had his address on it but was delivered to home a couple of blocks away. Crist calls himself a "fastidiously careful gun owner" and said he's very angry about the screw-up. The individual who received the box realized it wasn't for her and returned it unopened the following day.

"If some psycho had gotten a hold of this gun, and gone in and shot a bunch of people, it's my butt," Crist told KOMO-TV.

Conjewel M. Glover, 38, of Des Moines, and his girlfriend, Johnetta Powell-Stewart, 35, of Seattle were killed at about 1:40 a.m. Friday as Glover lost control and landed the car into the Green River near Southcenter Mall in Tukwila. An investigation found that the car, an Audi A-6, was heading west on South 180th St. when the driver lost control.

The car went straight off the roadway, up a ramp, and over the walk way and entire embankment. Police do not yet know if drugs or alcohol were at all to blame.

DEC. 31 UPDATE:

West Seattle cinematographer Jamie Chamberlin who filmed "The Taking" clarified that the original plan was to have 10 episodes. However, the finale is Episode #11 and will be released online tomorrow, Jan. 1.

Therefore, evocative of Nigel Tufnel's quote in the 1984 mockumentary, "This is Spinal Tap", the film "Loaded" goes to eleven. We regret the error, but are glad there are more episodes.

-------------------------------

The West Seattle Herald has been following the progress of the stylistically edgy film and rock album, "The Taking" featuring Seattle rock star Duff McKagan and his band, Loaded. The film contains 12 original tracks, plus an iTunes bonus track, integrated in new episodes that have been released sequentially. Episode #10, the finale, was released Tuesday, Dec. 25. (The studio album containing these tracks was released April 19, 2011 through Eagle Rock Entertainment.)

Duff, as most call him, relied heavily on West Seattle talent and settings, especially in Episode #10.