South Sound briefs - Aug. 29

The Olympian, Wire Services | • Published August 29, 2008

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South Sound

Court outburst gets 4 months in jail for man

A Shelton man racked up four months of jail time for contempt of court after shouting profanities at a judge, according to The Daily World of Aberdeen.

Buddy R. Richards, 40, began yelling at Superior Court Judge David Edwards when a hearing was set this week to determine whether Richards could receive involuntary medication during therapy.

"The meds aren't the answer," Richards shouted from his seat, interrupting Edwards.

Richards had been ordered to undergo a 90-day competency restoration Monday at Western State Hospital in the wake of a second-degree malicious-mischief charge in Aberdeen. The charge was dismissed because Richards was not competent to stand trial, but deputy prosecutor Bill Leraas hoped some treatment could help.

Richards had been accused of throwing a rock through a large window June 15 along Wishkah Street in Aberdeen, court records state.

Lewis County

Red Cross volunteer to aid hurricane preparation

American Red Cross Mount Rainier Chapter volunteer Shanna Ricker of Rochester will head to Louisiana to support disaster-relief efforts in preparation for effects of Hurricane Gustav.

Ricker will help with sheltering, according to the Red Cross. She has been deployed on many national disaster-relief operations, including Hurricane Katrina, the Red Cross says.

Tropical Storm Gustav could head toward Louisiana next week.

Elma

Man allegedly got girlfriend, 12, pregnant

A 21-year-old man living in rural Elma was arrested Wednesday for allegedly impregnating his 12-year-old girlfriend, according to The Daily World of Aberdeen.

Grays Harbor Undersheriff Rick Scott said Child Protective Services recently learned that the girl was being treated for pregnancy and notified authorities.

Investigators think the girl and the man, both Mexican immigrants, were having a "consensual" relationship with the knowledge of their families, Scott said.

The pregnancy serves as evidence of a sex crime, according to state law, Scott said. The man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree child rape.

State law defines the age of sexual consent at 16, and the couple's age difference also would qualify as statutory rape unless they were married.

The man's 24-year-old brother also was taken into custody for allegedly interfering with the arrest, becoming "combative" with deputies, Scott said. Both were booked into Grays Harbor County Jail.

Olympia

Legislative Building to close briefly today

The Legislative Building will be shut down for 10 to 15 minutes starting at 2 p.m. as the Washington State Patrol conducts a security drill in and around the Capitol.

People on campus might notice troopers outside, conducting security checks as part of the drill, according to the Department of General Administration.