HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!
Record South Whidbey
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 | Vol. 88, No. 22 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
INSIDE: Kickin’ it, Sports, A10
Teen driver who killed three to plead guilty Monday Four and a half years recommended By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
COUPEVILLE — The teenaged girl who was behind the wheel in a car accident that killed three young men on South Whidbey last November is pleading guilty to the charges against her, according to the Island County Prosecutor’s Office. Kaylea Souza, an 18-year-old Langley resident, is scheduled
Fire levy comes under public fire
to plead guilty Monday in Island County Superior Court to three counts of vehicular homicide. She is pleading to the most-serious, DUI-related prong of the charge, which means she’s admitting she was under the influence at the time of the crash. Deputy Prosecutor David Carman said he worked out a plea bargain with the defense. Under the agreement, both he and the defense attorney will recommend that the judge sentence Souza to four and a half years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 30.
Carman said the victims’ families approved the plea bargain. Charles “Mack” Porter III, 19, Robert Knight, 22, and Marcel “Mick” Poynter, 20, were killed in the Nov. 12, 2011 crash. Witnesses to the crash saw Souza’s silver 2003 Chevrolet Malibu speeding on Wilkinson Road, then travel off the road and strike a large tree. The car immediately burst into flames. The witnesses pulled Souza from the car, but weren’t able to remove the three young men. The car was fully engulfed in flames within minutes.
Souza admitted to a police officer that she had consumed malt liquor prior to the crash, but said she “wasn’t that drunk.” While in an ambulance, she yelled out, “I can’t believe they let me drive,” according to court documents. Blood toxicology results showed that Souza had a blood-alcohol level of 0.10 grams per 100 ml at the time of the blood draw. The legal limit in Washington is 0.08. Souza’s attorney, Peter Simpson of Coupeville, said he and his client will likely make statements about the case at the sentencing hearing.
Kaylea Souza
BUSINESS SPARKS FLY ON SOUTH WHIDBEY
By BEN WATANABE Staff Reporter
FREELAND — Consolidated stations, joined services and a reduced response staff were all offered by South End residents as alternatives to a proposed 15-cent levy increase for South Whidbey Fire/EMS. A few South Whidbey residents opposed the tax increase proposed by Fire Chief Rusty Palmer during the fire commissioners meeting Thursday night. A couple of citizens supported the measure that would keep the South End’s fire and emergency responses at its current levels. “I used to be in the corporate world, and we had a term for what we’re doing here, and it’s ‘feeding the beast,’” said Bob Walters, a Langley resident. “The reality is it’s beyond both the immediate and the future capability of the citizens to pay for. And that’s not going to change. The demographics are going the wrong way.” Walters said the South End’s older population is increasing. He suggested the fire district focus on emergency medical services more and fire response less. He cited a National Fire Protection Association figure that he said showed most districts that serve a similarly sized population have fewer fire engines and See LEVY, A7
Justin Burnett /The Record
Matt Nichols, CEO of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, demonstrates his welding skills on a portion of the state’s new 144-car ferry. The shipyard will be building the vessel’s superstructure.
New project at Nichols Brothers is super By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
FREELAND — Nichols Brothers Boat Builders has begun work on its portion of the state’s new 144-car ferry. The hull of the 362-foot vessel is being constructed by Vigor
Industrial in Seattle while Nichols Brothers has been contracted to build the superstructure. The work is expected to keep the Freeland shipbuilder busy for the next 12 months and create about 100 new jobs on South Whidbey. Construction of the new ferry
is expected to run $115 million, though the total price tag for the vessel is $147 million. According to a Washington State Ferries new release, the additional costs include owner-furnished equipment, construction management and contingencies.
Nichols Brothers said its portion of the contract tabs out to about $17 million, putting this among the top 10 biggest projects the local shipyard has taken on since it’s humble beginnings in See Nichols, A7