Briefly

Benson switches titles – twice

On Thursday, Brad Benson switched from being Rep. Benson to Sen. Benson.

On Friday, he switched again – from Sen. Benson to Maj. Benson.

The winner of the Nov. 2 election for an open state Senate seat in Spokane’s 6th Legislative District, Benson was sworn into that office Thursday, a day after results were certified, in a quickly called ceremony at Fort Mukogawa.

The speed, however, was not a result of impending legislative business. The Legislature doesn’t convene until January, and newly elected members are free to take part in most caucus activities. Republican John Serben, who was elected to the House seat Benson held for four terms, was in Olympia this week for some of those activities.

But Benson had more pressing business. He was being sent on a two-week tour of duty with some other members of the Washington Air National Guard’s 141st Air Refueling Wing, normally stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base west of Spokane.

Some crews from the unit, which flies KC-135 air refueling tankers, were sent to Guam on Friday as part of their annual obligation to do two weeks in uniform along with one weekend a month. Benson serves as the unit’s public affairs officer when he’s in uniform, and carries the rank of major.

Benson said he told his Guard superiors earlier in the year that he couldn’t go on one of the deployments before Nov. 2, but between then and the start of the Legislature, “I was all theirs.”

The deployment allows Benson to catch his breath on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, after a hard-fought campaign. It also will allow Serben to be sworn in early because that seat is now vacant.

Man wanted in woodcutter killing surrenders

The last man wanted in the killing of an Okanogan County woodcutter surrendered Friday afternoon, the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Ryan William Adolph Louie, 20, was wanted in connection with the Nov. 7 shooting of Leonard J. Bauer. He turned himself in to sheriff’s authorities about 3 p.m..

Seymour X. Reuben Jr., 18, and Devin D. Palmanteer, 18, already had been arrested for the crime. The three men live near Omak.

Reuben has admitted that he shot Bauer, Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said. Authorities believe that Louie and Palmanteer were with Reuben at the time.

Spokane man hurt in I-90 collision

Kellogg A Spokane man was injured in a head-on collision on Fourth of July Pass near here Thursday evening when another driver, who police said was drunk, drove east in the westbound lanes of Interstate 90.

According to the Idaho State Police, 36-year-old Michael N. Quacquarini was driving west and was near the Fourth of July summit when his car, a 2004 Honda Pilot, was struck head-on by a 1996 minivan driven by Jerry W. Duval, 54, of Kellogg.

An ISP report said Duval was intoxicated and driving east in the westbound lanes. He was uninjured and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Quacquarini was taken to Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene. A hospital spokeswoman said there was no information available on his condition.

Ex-prosecutor pleads not guilty in shooting

Seattle A former prosecutor pleaded not guilty Thursday to attempted first-degree murder in the near-fatal shooting of a rival attorney.

William R. Joice, 50, remained held on $5 million bail following the hearing in King County Superior Court. The sister of victim Kevin Jung sobbed through the hearing.

Jung, a 44-year-old married father of two, was shot in the head as he sat in his car outside his suburban Bellevue office Nov. 3. A witness provided police the shooter’s license plate number, which was tracked to Joice, a former Snohomish County deputy prosecutor who had gone into private practice.

Doctors upgraded Jung’s condition from critical to serious this week, but were vague about his chances for recovery because of his severe brain damage, his family said in a written statement.

Joice and Jung had been representing opposing sides in a contract dispute in Snohomish County Superior Court. The case file shows that Jung had become increasingly frustrated with Joice’s failure to provide documents or comply with court orders. The morning of the shooting, a hearing was scheduled on Jung’s motion to have Joice found in contempt.

Two arrested in protest at Port of Olympia

Olympia Two people were arrested in a protest against the loading of Army equipment onto a Navy ship bound for Iraq, police said.

Police donned riot gear Thursday evening as about 100 anti-war protesters beat drums, banged stones in rhythm against a chain-link fence and flashed peace signs at the Port of Olympia.

Nickolas Bland, 25, and Cameron Thaut, 19, were arrested for investigation of criminal trespassing after some demonstrators ripped out part of the fencing and briefly entered port property, officials said.

Port executive director John Wolfe said he supported the demonstrators’ right to protest.

“What isn’t acceptable is for the community to damage the facilities and enter the terminal area,” Wolfe said.

The protest occurred as the SS Cape Intrepid was loaded with helicopters, trucks and containers from nearby Fort Lewis.