REPORTER CENTRAL KITSAP
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 | Vol. 30, No. 17 | WWW.CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM | 50¢
Witness says plane spun, lost parts as it fell toward Hood Canal Pilot was 65-year-old Fox Island resident; National Transportation Safety Board is investigating crash BY CHRIS TUCKER CTUCKER@CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
SEABECK — The small red-and-white airplane that crashed south of Seabeck Jan. 26 in Hood Canal was spinning, may have had parts break off in flight and sank quickly, according to a man who said he witnessed the plane fall. Jon Marker, who lives on Thunder Ridge Way, said the plane spun downward at a sharp angle near Frenchman’s Cove (near Guillmot Cove). He was in his home when he heard the plane around 12:45 p.m. “I was eating lunch, getting ready for work. I heard a plane like it was climbing. It was the motor of a plane. Then I didn’t hear anything for a couple seconds,” Marker said. “Then I looked out and I saw a plane kind of whirling around,” he said, nearly straight down. “It looked like it was spinning. It looked like it was red and white. It went behind the
tree line. I figured it probably hit the water.” Then, Marker saw a separate piece fall down afterward which looked like it could have been a wing or something similar. Marker couldn’t see the impact from his home so he called a neighbor, who lived closer and whom he thought may have owned a boat, to take a look. The neighbor couldn’t see anything in the water. “When it hit it must have sunk right away,” Marker said. He called again for rescuers to check out the crash and gave them directions to navigate the twisty, rural back roads that cover the area. “It was a very helpless feeling,” knowing that there was not much else he could do, Marker said. A driver’s license was found at the crash site and next of kin were notified. Rescue crews suspended the search for the pilot at 9 p.m. that evening. Recovery of the aircraft and remains is up to the Kitsap
Peter O’Cain / staff photos
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, left, and a Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office patrol boat search the waters of Hood Canal for a plane that crashed near Frenchman’s Cove south of Seabeck on Jan. 26. County Sheriff’s Department, and any further investigation would be conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board, Chief Petty Officer Sara Mooers with the U.S. Coast Guard said Jan. 27. Joshua Cawthra, an aviation accident investigator with the NTSB, said Jan. 27 that he was beginning to look into the crash and speak with witnesses.
Mooers would not disclose the pilot’s identity, citing policy. But she did say the pilot “had a residence on Fox Island” and was male. She said there are no other missing-plane or missing-person reports, and it’s believed the Fox Island man on the driver’s license was the pilot and that he was flying alone. According to the Seattle Times, the pilot was Robert
Alexander Jr., 65, and the only plane missing in the area was a Van’s RV-7 homebuilt airplane which was based at Tacoma Narrows Airport in Gig Harbor. Mooers described the debris field as “fairly small,” consisting of red and white aircraft metal, seat cushions, and headsets. “Nothing more definitive than that,” she said. “We were not able to establish
where the aircraft took off from.” Mooers thanked all of the responders that participated in the search, and said, “It’s sad there was not a more favorable outcome.” Lt. Raphael Sadowitz, command duty officer at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, said in a press release issued SEE PLANE CRASH, A13
Teen driver pleads guilty to vehicular homicide, faces 45-108 weeks rehab BY CHRIS TUCKER CTUCKER@CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
The driver of a car that crashed Jan. 11 on Seabeck-Holly Road NW, killing three teenage passengers, pleaded guilty on Jan. 22 to three counts of vehicular homicide. According to court documents, Marcus Allen McKay, 17, of Bremerton, will remain in the juvenile court system and will not be charged an an adult. McKay gave a statement to law enforcement admitting he had been traveling 75 mph in a 45 mph zone.
12 COMMUNIT Y DELIV ERED
Roadway evidence and damage to the vehicle also suggested a high-speed collision occurred. McKay also admitted that he smoked marijuana around 2 a.m. that morning at a party. The documents state that on Jan. 11 around 3:16 a.m. McKay lost control of the 1996 Toyota Corolla he was driving on Seabeck Holly Road NW. The vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree and overturned. His passengers, Olympic High School students Kassidy Miranda Clark, 16, Jenna M. Farley, 14, and Luther James Wiggins-Stoudermire, 18, died in the
“Meaningful consequences and community protection are currently available in the juvenile system.” – Kitsap County court document crash. At the time of the crash, McKay had an intermediate driver’s license which required that he have no passengers under the age of 20, nor drive between the hours of 1-5 a.m. McKay had abrasions on the left side of his neck which indicate he was in the driver’s seat when the vehicle
LOUD & PROUD
crashed. McKay was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide for driving without regard for the safety of others. The defense and prosecution agreed to a total of 45-108 weeks of incarceration at the Juvenile Justice and Rehabilitation Administration,
payment of restitution to each of the victim’s families, and $200 in fees. If McKay had been charged as an adult he could have faced three to four years at the Department of Corrections. Several factors are weighed by the court when it determines whether or not to transfer a juvenile into the adult court: Seriousness of the offense, the manner in which it is committed, whether the offense is against persons or property, maturity of the individual, criminal history, SEE PLEADS, A13
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