News Bites for Jan. 30, 2024
Moses Lake Police Animal Control Officer Jimmy Reyna shows off dog and cat food donated to the department by the Animal Rescue Friends of Grant County and Pawsitive Alliance for homeless pets.
COURTESY PHOTO/CITY OF MOSES LAKE
EPHRATA — An Ephrata man died Sunday night after a one-vehicle collision near Ephrata, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Gabriel O'Neel, 44, was driving a 2003 Dodge Caravan at high speed north on Road A Northwest around 9:30 p.m., according to the statement. O’Neel apparently attempted to turn west onto Road 12.3 Northwest when his van struck a large boulder, vaulted and landed off the road on its side. First responders extricated O'Neel from the van and attempted life-saving measures, but he died at the scene. O’Neel was not wearing a seat belt, according to the statement.
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Fire Department issued a reminder Thursday that residents should maintain their smoke alarms in good working order.
The MLFD’s reminder included these figures:
• Smoke alarms were present in 74% of reported home fires in 2014-18.
• Three out of five deaths happen in homes with no working smoke alarms, perhaps because batteries have been pulled or the devices are too old to function properly.
• The risk of dying in a house fire is 55% lower in homes with working smoke alarms.
• Power source issues such as batteries or power outage were the primary reason for smoke alarm failure.
• Of fire fatalities that occurred in homes with working smoke alarms, 22% were alerted by the device but failed to respond due to mobility issues, drug or alcohol intoxication, et cetera, while 11% were not alerted by the operating alarms at all.
EPHRATA — A Grant County Sheriff’s deputy sustained only minor injuries in a single-vehicle collision late Saturday night, according to a statement from Sheriff Joe Kriete.
Deputy Trevor Jones had just cleared a traffic stop when he received a radio call for a domestic disturbance north of Moses Lake, according to the statement. Jones reportedly responded to the call and was driving on Westover Boulevard, lost situational awareness and drove through the T-intersection at Westover Boulevard and Owen Road. Jones’ vehicle struck the curb and came to rest in a field.
Jones was treated at Samaritan Hospital and released, the statement said. The cause was reported to be inattention, compounded by low visibility due to foggy weather conditions. The Moses Lake Police Department is investigating the incident.