Latest news with #SpokaneCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sheriff remains 'optimistic' about tracking down Wenatchee father wanted for killings of his daughters
Jun. 4—The Chelan County Sheriff's Office is "optimistic" it will locate a man accused of killing his three young daughters at a campsite and fleeing the scene, sheriff Mike Morrison said at a news conference Wednesday evening. "My message is still the same," Morrison said. "Turn yourself in ... We will not relinquish our efforts. Do us right for your kids." Travis Caleb Decker, 32, is charged with the murder and kidnapping in connection to the deaths of his children, Olivia Decker, 5; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Paitlyn Decker, 9, from Wenatchee. The girls were found bound and asphyxiated in an embankment at the Rock Island Campground near Leavenworth, according to previous reporting from The Spokesman-Review. Their father has not been seen since last week when he failed to return the children to their mother after a planned visit. Decker, who is homeless and only allowed day visits unless an exception is made, is said to have borderline personality disorder for which he did not take medication, according to court records. He has never failed to return his kids to their mother before, and the children generally enjoyed being with him, court records say. Investigators later found his white truck and miscellaneous supplies at the campground, along with plastic bags and zip ties. The discovery led to a near-statewide manhunt. Morrison said during the news conference they are "optimistic" they can track his location, even though Decker is a military veteran with elite wilderness survival skills. He went through survival school as a kid and had more training in the military, Morrison said, and his family told investigators they believe he is able to live "off the grid" for more than two days. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office wrote in a news release they don't believe Decker is armed, but consider him dangerous. Aerial units from the Spokane County Sheriff's Office are assisting Chelan County in the search across the Okanagan Wenatchee National Forest, along with federal law enforcement. The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit were also called in and have rendered "good leads" about Decker's mindset and thought process at the time of the killings, Morrison said. Multiple tips have come in, including sightings from McCall, Idaho, but were determined not to be Decker, the sheriff said at the news conference. Agencies have swept fast-moving creeks, steep terrain, cellphone data and financial documents for clues. The sheriff's office also has limited resources, Morrison added, but the assistance Chelan County, most of which is not accessible by road, has received from statewide agencies statewide gives him confidence. "We are up for the challenge," he said. "We are aware of our terrain ... And we are not doing it alone." As of Wednesday afternoon, the Decker family's GoFundMe has raised more than half a million dollars. "Their light touched so many, and the pain of this loss is immeasurable," the post says about the Decker girls. The girls and their family are the "motivating force" behind the rigorous search, Morrison said Wednesday. The agency has set up a tip line for people with knowledge or sightings of Decker to submit information. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office has posted a $20,000 reward leading to his arrest. Decker was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt with dark shorts, has black hair and brown eyes, is 5-foot-8 and weighs about 190 pounds. He may pose a risk if he is approached, police said in a release. If found, call 911 immediately.
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Horror after man, 70, decided to drive dangerously behind the wheel of his 1955 Chevy with no seatbelts
A grandfather was killed when he was thrown through the windscreen of his beloved classic car that was as old as he was. Mark Maier, 70, died when his 1955 Chevy Nomad collided with another car and veered off the road into a tree in Newman Lake, Washington. The vintage car enthusiast was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car as it burst into flames about 5.15pm on April 25. Motorists dragged him away from the burning wreck and started CPR, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. Maier had restored the Nomad, nicknamed 'Gypsy Rose', and proudly showed it at vintage cars shows in Spokane and beyond. He also owned a red 1972 Opel GT that he drove for 6,000 miles in a 20-day trip across the West Coast in May and June 2018. The Opel had the license plate 'LIL-VET' and Maier wore a US Navy hat, but details of any military career are unknown. Maier's daughter Michelle Helm shared old photos of her father posing next to the Nomad with his five grandchildren, and riding a vintage motorbike in his youth. 'God gave my dad almost 71 years. I'm thankful for his life, and for the person it shaped me to be,' she wrote. 'Our time is fleeting and how we live is important.' His friend Matt Graupner posted a montage of Maier working on the Nomad in his garage and driving it around. 'He was a good guy, and I will miss seeing him at all the car shows,' he wrote. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office explained that Maier was driving along North Idaho Road, south of Trent Avenue, when traffic slowed in front of him. An Infiniti had slowed to make a left turn, backing up traffic behind it, and Maier switched to the left land to quickly overtake the cars in front of him. As the Infinity began it's turn, it crashed into Maier's car, causing him to lose control of the car and drive off the road into an embankment and into the tree. Neither the Infinity driver or his child passenger were injured. The Spokane County Medical Examiner confirmed Maier died of blunt force trauma from the accident. Police are still investigating the crash.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist in critical condition after collision with pickup truck
Apr. 27—A motorcyclist is hospitalized with possible life-threatening injuries after a collision with a vehicle on South Cheney Spokane Road Sunday morning. Just before 9 a.m. Sunday, deputies from Spokane County Sheriff's Office responded to the two-vehicle crash on South Cheney Spokane Road, south of Sherman Road. The collision was between a motorcycle and a pickup truck towing a "small utility trailer," according to a sheriff's office news release. The male driver of the pickup was uninjured and stayed at the scene to cooperate with investigators from the sheriff's traffic unit. According to the release, both drivers were heading south, the motorcycle behind the trailer. The driver of the pickup stopped to turn left, and as he turned, the motorcyclist attempted to pass the pickup on the driver's side, colliding with the truck. The collision remains an active investigation, but investigators don't think impairment or speed are involved. Officials transported the motorcyclist to a local hospital, in critical condition with "potentially life-threatening injuries." Deputies issued the pickup driver traffic citations for driving without proof of insurance, driving with a suspended license and driving without a breathalyzer ignition interlock device. The roadway was closed until around 12:15 p.m. A volunteer team assisted with traffic control. Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Medical examiner identifies man who died in Deer Park crash
Apr. 10—A 40-year-old man who died after crashing a vehicle into a large sign one week ago in Deer Park has been identified as Steven Davis, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office. The cause and manner of Davis' death are pending, the medical examiner's office said. Investigators believe Davis sped through a parking lot before crashing into the sign at about 5:20 a.m. April 4 in the 800 block of South Main Street, according to a Spokane County Sheriff's Office news release. Firefighters extricated Davis, who was the lone occupant of the Ford Explorer. He was taken to the hospital, where he died, investigators said. Investigators believe speed, not wearing a seatbelt and impairment were factors in the crash.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
40-year-old man dies in Deer Park parking lot crash
Apr. 8—A 40-year-old man died after investigators believe he sped through a Deer Park parking lot and crashed into a large sign. Spokane County Sheriff's Office deputies and Spokane County Fire District 4 firefighters responded at about 5:20 a.m. Friday to the crash in the 800 block of South Main Street, according to a sheriff's office news release. Firefighters extricated the man, who was the lone occupant of the Ford Explorer. He was taken to the hospital, where he died, investigators said. Investigators believe speed, failure to wear a seat belt and impairment were factors in the crash. The Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office will release the man's name and his cause and manner of death.
