Issaquah man faces child molestation charge
June 13, 2011
NEW — 1 p.m. June 13, 2011
King County prosecutors said a 38-year-old Issaquah man molested a 15-year-old boy he met on craigslist.
Eric N. Victorson faces a third-degree child molestation charge, after prosecutors said he responded to a “hook up” ad on the popular classifieds site and then met the boy in Redmond. The defendant is a convicted sex offender; he was charged with third-degree child molestation in 1998, court documents state.
Police arrested Victorson in Redmond for driving under the influence at about 2:30 a.m. June 2. The officer stopped Victorson’s Infiniti sedan for a traffic violation and noticed the boy in the passenger seat.
Prosecutors said Victorson appeared intoxicated, although he denied drinking alcohol. He then agreed to participate in field sobriety tests. Police arrested him for driving under the influence after he blew a 0.082 on a portable breath test device. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.
Preston traffic stop uncovers drug cache
June 7, 2011
Police arrested a Seattle man toting marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and more than 200 Ecstasy tablets during a Preston traffic stop May 31.
The arrest occurred after a state trooper stopped a Honda Accord for illegally dark window tinting near milepost 22 along westbound Interstate 90 just before 11 a.m. The trooper smelled marijuana inside the Honda during the stop, and the driver allowed the officer to search inside the vehicle.
The trooper uncovered 216 Ecstasy tablets, 4.7 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 5 grams of marijuana, methamphetamine residue and drug paraphernalia, plus a .45-caliber handgun and $1,816 in American and Canadian currency.
Police arrested a 29-year-old passenger, Nehemiah Williams, for drug possession with intent to distribute. He remains in custody at the King County Jail after a judge denied him bail.
Meanwhile, the trooper notified the driver, a 54-year-old Seattle man, about the window tinting. The trooper said he “could not see inside the vehicle” and used a tint meter to determine whether the tinting met the legal requirement, Trooper Julie Startup said. Such dark tinting can pose a threat to officer safety, she added.
Trooper uncovers drug cache during Preston traffic stop
June 1, 2011
NEW — 3 p.m. June 1, 2011
Police arrested a Seattle man toting marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and more than 200 Ecstasy tablets during a Preston traffic stop Tuesday morning.
The arrest occurred after a state trooper stopped a Honda Accord for illegally dark window tinting near milepost 22 along westbound Interstate 90 just before 11 a.m. The trooper smelled marijuana inside the Honda during the stop, and the driver allowed the trooper to search inside the vehicle.
The trooper uncovered 216 Ecstasy tablets, 4.7 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 5 grams of marijuana, methamphetamine residue and drug paraphernalia, plus a .45 caliber handgun and $1,816 in American and Canadian currency.
State investigators: Ex-Issaquah insurance agent bilked seniors
March 22, 2011
State insurance investigators on March 15 arrested a former Issaquah insurance agent suspected of stealing more than $1 million in retirement funds from elderly clients, and then using the money to pay for online psychics and more.
Jasmine Jamrus-Kassim faces 21 counts of first-degree theft for stealing retirement funds. Investigators said five victims — Bellevue, Renton and Seattle seniors ranging in age from 74 to 90 — made out checks to the agent, because they trusted her to reinvest the money.
Instead, investigators said she funneled the money into a personal account. Records show thousands of dollars spent on clothes, jewelry and a trip to Mexico.
The records also show large payments to online psychic advisers, including $20,000 in charges from one psychic website in a single month.
King County Council appoints jail director
January 25, 2011
King County Council members have confirmed Bellevue Councilwoman Claudia Balducci as the director of the county Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, the agency responsible for the King County Jail.
Balducci has served in the role as acting director since October.
The council confirmed the appointment Jan. 10. County Executive Dow Constantine praised the appointment.
“Claudia has earned respect in the corrections community and the region at large, and her unique combination of experience with labor and with cities provides a foundation for continued strong partnerships,” he said in a statement. “She brings intelligence, a willingness to listen and enthusiasm that will help lead us to continued improvements in the safety of the public, inmates and staff at our facilities.”
Balducci has served the county in numerous roles since 1999.
In the most recent post, she served as the county’s settlement coordinator as the U.S. Department of Justice checked improvements to inmate care at the jail. Balducci has also served the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention as operations manager, regional jail coordinator and labor negotiator. In addition, she has served on the Bellevue City Council since 2004.
Issaquah man faces charges in Metro Transit vanpool crash
January 18, 2011
Prosecutors charged a 27-year-old Issaquah emergency medical technician for smashing a pickup into a King County Metro Transit Rideshare van along Interstate 90 in September.
The early morning crash injured the vanpool passengers and snarled the commute near Issaquah for hours, as emergency crews cut trapped people from the crumpled van.
Douglas Burt Henderson faces a vehicular assault charge for the Sept. 24 incident. Read more
King County Council appoints jail director
January 11, 2011
NEW — 6 a.m. Jan. 11, 2011
On Monday, King County Council members confirmed Bellevue Councilwoman Claudia Balducci as the director of the county Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, the agency responsible for the King County Jail.
Balducci has served in the role as acting director since October. County Executive Dow Constantine praised the appointment.
“Claudia has earned respect in the corrections community and the region at large, and her unique combination of experience with labor and with cities provides a foundation for continued strong partnerships,” he said in a statement. “She brings intelligence, a willingness to listen, and enthusiasm that will help lead us to continued improvements in the safety of the public, inmates and staff at our facilities.”
Balducci has served the county in numerous roles since 1999.
Issaquah man faces charges in Metro vanpool crash
January 4, 2011
NEW — 5 p.m. Jan. 4, 2011
Prosecutors charged a 27-year-old Issaquah man Tuesday for a September crash along Interstate 90.
The crash injured seven people in a King County Metro Transit Rideshare van and caused traffic snarls during the Sept. 24 morning commute.
Douglas Burt Henderson faces two counts of vehicular assault for the incident.
Washington State Patrol investigators said Henderson had been traveling illegally in the high-occupancy vehicle lane near Issaquah at the time of the crash.
Investigators said Henderson rear-ended the van, a Chevrolet Uplander, in the HOV lane at 5:35 a.m. Sept. 24.
Issaquah police arrest man after officer assault
October 12, 2010
Issaquah police arrested a man the morning of Oct. 11 after a brief struggle near the 700 block of state Route 900.
The officers — a sergeant and a motorcycle officer — stopped the suspect, a 27-year-old man, and approached him along the driver’s side of his vehicle. The suspect refused to exit the vehicle, and a brief struggle ensued.
Police said he then turned the vehicle on and started to drive away, dragging the sergeant for about 100 feet.
Moments later, the vehicle became stuck in a field, and the sergeant and motorcycle officer arrested the suspect.
Police arrested the man on a Utah warrant, plus the second-degree assault from the officer incident, and booked the man into the King County Jail.
Medics transported the sergeant to Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, where he was treated and later released. The motorcycle officer and suspect were not injured.
DUI crash snarls traffic, injures commuters
September 28, 2010
State troopers said a suspected drunken driver caused a crash — and a mileslong traffic backup during the Sept. 24 morning commute — on Interstate 90 near Issaquah.
The crash injured the seven occupants of a King County Metro Transit Rideshare van traveling from Redmond to Snoqualmie.
Washington State Patrol investigators said the suspect, 26-year-old Issaquah resident Douglas Henderson, rear-ended the van, a Chevrolet Uplander, in the high-occupancy vehicle lane at 5:35 a.m.
The impact pushed the Uplander from the right side of the interstate near West Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast. The vehicle then rolled into a ditch.
