Regional briefs for Sept. 11

The Olympian, News Services | • Published September 11, 2008

Thurston County

Woman dies in single-car crash, fire

A woman died after she drove off the road on Bee Dee Drive about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to State Patrol.

The woman reportedly was driving erratically before her vehicle left the road, said State Patrol spokeswoman Brandy Kessler. Kessler said investigators think the woman might have had a medical issue before her vehicle left the road. However, investigators aren't sure, because the car caught fire after it struck the roots of a tree, and the woman was badly burned, she said.

Bee Dee Drive is off of Meridian Road Northeast, just outside of Lacey.

Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock did not have the name of the deceased as of about 6:30 Wednesday night. An autopsy will be conducted today to determine the cause and manner of death, he said. Warnock said it is premature to speculate on the gender of the deceased.

Bucoda

Crossing arms worked, video from train shows

A review of video footage captured by a locomotive-mounted camera has shown that crossing arms functioned properly before the death of a Bucoda woman who struck two trains Sept. 2, a spokesman for BNSF Railway told The Chronicle of Centralia.

A witness had told law enforcement and railway personnel that the arm failed to come down when Patricia Panter, 74, struck the third engine of a southbound freight train, then was struck by a northbound passenger train.

Panter died en route to Harborview Medical Center, and some have questioned whether the crossing had malfunctioned. Two more witnesses said Monday that the crossing arms did not come down when they were traveling through the area a day before the crash, according to The Chronicle.

Washington

Secretary of State Reed certifies election results

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed has certified the results of the Aug. 19 primary election.

Voter turnout was nearly 43 percent. Reed said that's a sign that voters like the new top-two system. The 30-year average turnout in even-year primaries is 39 percent.