Briefs October 15, 2010

Injury crash closes U.S. 95 Wednesday

COEUR d'ALENE - An injury crash on Wednesday night caused the area of a natural gas regulatory station to be evacuated and U.S. 95 south of the Spokane River bridge to be closed more than two hours due to a gas line break.

According to Idaho State Police, Frances C. Coffey, 50, Coeur d'Alene, was northbound on U.S. 95 at 8:10 p.m. in a 1992 Ford Explorer when she drifted off the east shoulder and struck the guardrail at Fairmont Loop Road.

She then swerved to the left and ran off the road, continuing north for about 40 yards where she sideswiped a tree on the drivers' side.

The vehicle continued on and struck a fence surrounding a natural gas regulatory station, according to the state police. It struck regulatory pipes, moving them 6 inches and causing a break in the line.

Troopers on scene evacuated the area and closed the highway while Avista Utilities worked to turn off the natural gas.

Coffey was treated and released at Kootenai Medical Center.

Alcohol was a factor in the crash, according to police, who reported the investigation continues.

Federal grant to help prosecutors

BOISE (AP) - Canyon County has received a federal grant to create a task force to identify, arrest and prosecute those who prey on children.

The $493,000 grant is part of $10 million in Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants announced Thursday.

The Idaho Statesman reports the Canyon County prosecutor's office will hire an investigator and a prosecutor to focus solely on online sexual predators and sex-offender compliance in Canyon, Ada and Bannock counties.

The grant will also pay to add Ada and Bannock counties to a national program that allows real-time monitoring of registered sex offenders.

Law enforcement agencies from the three counties, the U.S. Marshal's Service and the U.S. Attorney's Office are participating in the Southern Idaho Child Sexual Predator Enforcement Task Force.