Motorcyclist airlifted from scene of crash in Hoquiam

A 65-year-old El Monte, California, driver was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Monday after rear-ending a vehicle on Highway 101 at milepost 91 near the Hoquiam city limits, according to a State Patrol report.

A 40-year-old Hoquiam woman was driving a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta northbound a little after 2 p.m. when she stopped and signaled for a left turn, according to the State Patrol. The El Monte man’s 2011 Harley Davidson motorcycle struck the rear of the Jetta.

The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was airlifted to Harborview with undisclosed injuries. The driver of the Jetta was not injured, according to the report. The motorcycle was totaled, the Jetta was damaged but was driven from the scene. The State Patrol report indicated the cause of the crash was following too close and inattention on the part of the motorcyclist.

Hoquiam seeks to fill Ward 6 City Council vacancy

The City of Hoquiam is seeking applicants for a vacant Ward 6 City Council position.

Mary Stinchfield resigned from the position in June to focus on her health. She had been appointed to the position in January after Angela Forkum resigned in December of last year. The Ward 6 seat is up for election this year, though nobody has registered a candidacy for it in the upcoming August primary. An additional filing period has not yet been announced by the County Auditor.

Applicants must live within Ward 6, on the east side of the city. There is a link to the ward map with the announcement on the city’s website, cityofhoquiam.com. Applicants should submit a letter of interest by 5 p.m. July 31 to City of Hoquiam, Attention Council Secretary, 609 8th Street Hoquiam, WA 98550.

For more information please contact Council President Tracy Wood at twood@cityofhoquiam.com or 360-538-3970.

2 men hurt when a group armed with metal pipes fights in the streets of Shelton

Two men were hurt, one seriously, when men armed with metal pipes began fighting in Shelton on Sunday, according to police.

Just before 7 p.m. Sunday, Shelton police were dispatched to the 1900 block of Adams Street after a report of a “large group of men fighting in the street with metal pipes,” a news release reads.

When police arrived, they found a man with serious head injuries who was later flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The man was listed in stable condition Monday.

A second injured man also was found in the 800 block of K Street. Although he suffered injuries to his head and arm, he refused to cooperate with the investigation, according to police.

The other men involved in the fight fled on foot and in vehicles, according to police.

“We are not ruling out the possibility that this is gang related, based on the color of clothing and known criminal history of the individuals involved,” Police Captain Mike Fiola said in a statement.