Newsbriefs

Coulee City man dies in crash

A Coulee City man died early Friday morning just north of Soap Lake.

Michael S. Burns, 62, was driving south on SR-17 in a red 2001 GMC Yukon when it crossed the northbound lanes about 4:50 a.m. onto a gravel shoulder, veered back across the southbound lanes, then left the road to the right at milepost 76.

The Yukon went over an embankment, rolled and came to rest on the driver’s side, according to the Washington State Patrol, which is investigating the cause of the crash.

WSP: big fine for flicking ’em lit

You can be fined $1,025 for littering a lit tobacco product.

As conditions continue to dry out across the state, the Washington State Patrol is reminding people of the increasing danger of fires caused by discarding lit tobacco products or other lit material from their vehicles.

One careless action can quickly turn into a major fire. A section of Interstate 90 west of Moses Lake was closed last week due to a wildfire.

The resources needed to fight the fires and the losses associated with them, such as homes, structures and even life, are extremely expensive and costly to tax payers, the WSP said.