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Theft suspect killed in crash during police pursuit BY ERIC MANDEL emandel@covingtonreporter.com
A female shoplifting suspect was killed and three others were injured during a high speed police chase and crash near Covington. Deputies were alerted to a theft suspect leaving a store in Covington at about 6:03 p.m. Monday, according to a King County Sheriff ’s Office press release. Dispatch gave the deputies a description of the vehicle, a license plate and a description of the driver. The release stated the suspect vehicle left the scene before police arrived, but was spotted by a detective who was going home. The detective was unable to contact the vehicle but
gave dispatch the last known direction. Another sheriff ’s deputy nearby located the vehicle and attempted to stop the car. The suspect refused to stop and attempted to elude the deputy, going upwards of 80 mph, according to Detective Jason Stanley. The deputy pursued the car for three minutes before temporarily losing sight of the vehicle. The deputy relocated the fleeing vehicle when the car had collided with an otherwise uninvolved pickup truck in the 32800 block of Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road. The driver of the suspect vehicle died at the scene. Two passengers, a male and female, in the suspect vehicle were injured during the collision and transported
to area hospitals. Stanley said Tuesday the male was in critical condition and the female in serious condition. A male passenger in the pickup truck was also hurt, suffering a broken leg, Stanley said. The deputy involved in the pursuit was uninjured. Stanley said the suspect vehicle was stolen, “which is probably why they ran” and no charges have been filed yet. Stanley would not release the name of the store where the theft occurred and did not know what was stolen. “Whatever it was, was probably pretty darn insignificant,” he said. The King County Sheriff ’s Office Major Accident Response and Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and will be conducting the investigation.
One person was killed following a high speed pursuit Monday in the 32800 block of Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road. Courtesy photo
Fees and costs awarded to YarrowBay and Black Diamond
Dozens join in support of domestic abuse walk
BY DENNIS BOX dbox@maplevalleyreporter.com
A Court of Appeals commissioner awarded more than $160,000 in attorney fees and costs to YarrowBay and the city of Black Diamond, which raises the curtain on the final act of a legal saga that has spanned the past four years. The Kirkland-based developer YarrowBay plans to build two master planned developments in Black Diamond – The Villages and Lawson Hills. Toward Responsible Development filed an appeal against the master planned developments, which was dismissed by the King County Superior Court. The Court of Appeals upheld the lower court and the state Supreme Court declined to review the decision. Appeals Court Commissioner Masako Kanazawa ordered Toward Responsible Development to pay a total of $162,798 to YarrowBay and the city of Black Diamond. The court document was filed Monday. The breakdown for the city was $30,275.50 for attorney fees and $174.68 in costs for a total of $30,450.18. The Issaquah-firm Kenyon Disend provided city attorney services for Black Diamond and represented the city during the appeal. The court order for YarrowBay’s [ more APPEALS page 8 ]
BY ERIC MANDEL emandel@covingtonreporter.com
A Gift of Giving
Baigeh Tucker puts money into a jar during the Mayors Day of Concern in Covington for the Hungry on Saturday at Fred Meyer as his mother, Nicole, and Mayor Margaret Harto look on. Donation locations were at the Covington Fred Meyer and Safeway, as well as the Fred Meyer, Safeway and QFC in Maple Valley. DENNIS BOX, The Reporter
Joannie Blyth needed a song. During the divorce, she turned to Annie Lennox. But after divulging her story of domestic abuse publicly for the first time last week, she turned to a new voice — Katy Perry’s optimistic pop anthem, “Roar.” She played the tune nearly nonstop for 24 hours until it was time to put herself in the uncomfortable position of speaking about her trauma in front of a horde of strangers and city dignitaries. “I’m gonna write a letter (to Perry) to say thank you,” Blyth said. “It has the words - words are very powerful.” Victoria Throm, founder of the nonprofit Covington Domestic Violence Task Force, said approximately 53 walkers carried Stop Domestic Violence signs during the first Take a Step Against Domestic Violence 5K Walk, held in conjunction with the Purple Light Nights campaign on Sept. 27, with car horns from passersby offering additional support for the cause. The event raised $400. [ more Support page 6 ]