News Bites for Sept. 27, 2023

MATTAWA — State Route 243 was closed briefly early Tuesday morning when a semi-truck rolled over just west of the Vernita Bridge, according to a statement from the Washington State Patrol.

At a little after 5:30 a.m., Mykel D. Spurlock, 35, of Kennewick was driving a 2020 Peterbilt northbound on S.R. 243 at milepost 1 when he drifted off the roadway onto the soft shoulder, according to the WSP. Spurlock overcorrected and the trailer disconnected from the tractor and rolled over. A gash about two inches long caused a minor gasoline leak. There were no injuries.

Spurlock was wearing his seat belt, the WSP wrote, and neither drugs nor alcohol was a factor in the incident. Spurlock was cited for wheels off the roadway and failure to maintain the lane.

EPHRATA — Two of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office’s most beloved deputies are retiring, according to a statement from Sheriff Joe Kriete.

Deputy K-9 Hawk and Deputy K-9 Edo were retired as of Tuesday, Kriete wrote. K-9 Hawk’s handler, Cpl. David De La Rosa, who helped create the K-9 program is himself retiring, and Edo has developed some health challenges that mean he needs to take things a little easier. The health issues are not painful to Edo, Kriete added.

“As we all know, Edo’s social personality has made him the go-to partner for many many events in Grant County,” Kriete wrote in the statement. “Anytime we want to showcase our program, Edo is always at the front to get as many scratches as he can get. But when it's time for work, don’t get in his way. Edo is one of the most athletic K-9s I’ve ever seen and when it’s ‘go time,’ there is no messing around.”

Edo will spend his retirement with his handler, Deputy Tyson Voss, and Hawk will live with De La Rosa, the statement said.