Monday
Taking winning shape
Showers linger over Peninsula for the day B10
Mariners roster highlights the desire for victory B1
PENINSULA DAILY NEWS March 14, 14, 2016 | 75¢
Port Angeles-Sequim-West End
Senator recalls his high points
Leaders of the pack
Hargrove to retire at end of the year BY CHRIS MCDANIEL PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Participants in the senior category 3 race set out from the starting line near the Dungeness Recreation Area north of Sequim during last Saturday’s Tour de Dungeness road races. Hundreds of cyclists from around the region took part in the two-stage event, with a second day of racing scheduled to take place this Saturday. The USA Cycling-sanctioned event is hosted by the Garage Racing and Audi Cycling teams.
Jury deliberation to start today in manslaughter trial Nathaniel D. Olson is charged in death of Matthew Baker BY ROB OLLIKAINEN PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
ney, is expected to make a final rebuttal at 9 a.m. today before the case goes to the jury. Olson, 29, is accused of shooting Baker with a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun at a social gathering at a Port Angeles-area residence around midnight May 22, 2014. Olson has maintained his innocence. Dr. Daniel Selove, the forensic pathologist who conducted Baker’s autopsy, testified Thursday that the victim died of a single gunshot wound to the center chest. Baker was 25. A person commits first-degree manslaughter when he or she recklessly causes the death of another person. The state must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
PORT ANGELES — A Clallam County jury will soon decide the fate of Nathaniel Darren Olson, a Sequim man charged in the shooting death of Matthew Baker in May 2014. Before jury deliberations begin today, the state will make one final appeal that Olson committed first-degree manslaughter with a firearm enhancement. Two weeks of witness testimony were summarized in a full day of closing argu- Different scenarios ments Friday. Alexandrea Schodowski, Clallam Michele Devlin, Clallam County chief criminal deputy prosecuting attor- County deputy prosecuting attorney,
argued Friday that Olson engaged in reckless conduct and that Baker died as a result of Olson’s reckless acts. Defense attorney Karen Unger countered with a vastly different narrative, saying another per- Olson son shot and killed Baker while Olson was passed out from drinking too much alcohol. The shooting took place in the wake of a family gathering at David Holden’s residence at 1523 Monroe Road. Clallam County Sheriff’s Sgt. Randy Pieper, one of the first to arrive at the scene, testified Tuesday that he found Baker’s body on the living room floor and a heavily intoxicated Olson lying on the ground a few feet away. TURN
TO
OLYMPIA — Looking back at his threedecade career as a state legislator, Sen. Jim Hargrove lists the Becca Bill, crime prevention initiatives, working with veterans’ groups and efforts to shore up the timber industry on the North Olympic Peninsula as his most cherished accomplishments. “That is kind of my legacy,” he said. Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, announced Thursday on the Senate floor in Olympia he will not seek re-election following the completion of his current term at the end of this year. Hargrove — along with Rep. Steve Tharinger and Hargrove Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, both Sequim Democrats — represents the 24th District, which covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County. Hargrove, 62, has been a member of the state Senate since 1993. He had previously served in the state House of Representatives from 1985 to 1992. “I just felt like the direction I was getting from God was that this was the time to change chapters and do something else,” Hargrove said Friday over the phone when asked the reason for his decision to leave office. “I don’t have any regrets. I think that I have a fairly good career,” he said. “I’ve had the privilege of a lifetime of serving in the Legislature, basically, and I have still got a little miles left on my engine.” Hargrove said the decision was “obviously very difficult.” He will return to his job as a private business owner and forester after leaving office.
Becca Bill “The thing that I have really been most proud about getting done — that I think has had the most impact and will continue to — is the Becca legislation we passed in 1995,” said Hargrove, who was the original Senate sponsor of the legislation. TURN
TRIAL/A5
TO
HARGROVE/A5
Winds knock out power, close off bridge Gusts near 60 mph in winter storm BY ARWYN RICE PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Sunday’s powerful late winter storm knocked down trees and cut power, and closed the Hood Canal Bridge with gusts of wind nearing 60 mph. Reports of damage from the storm started at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, and the state Depart-
ment of Transportation temporarily closed the Hood Canal Bridge just before 4 p.m. due to the high winds. The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, but trees and power lines were already down in both Clallam and Jefferson counties before the warning officially went into effect.
Among the highest gusts as of Sunday evening included 59 mph at the Hood Canal Bridge, 56 mph at Point Wilson, 45 mph at Ediz Hook, 35 mph near Sequim, 42 mph at LaPush and 40 mph at Quillayute Airport, according to the National Weather Service.
Clallam PUD At about 3 p.m., winds knocked trees into power lines, resulting in a power outage for 653 customers between Port Angeles and
Sequim, said Mike Howe, spokesman for the Clallam County Public Utility District. The PUD also reported 404 customers without power west of Port Angeles on Lower Elwha and Dry Creek roads, and Edgewood Drive; 84 customers affected west of Port Angeles on Place Road, and 355 customers with lights out in the Forks area. All outages are weather related, primarily caused by tree limbs in lines.
GREAT OUTDOORS PHOTO CONTEST
Proud Sponsor of the Peninsula Families Outdoor Photo Contest
112 W. FRONT, PORT ANGELES • 457-4150
Deadline to Enter March 29, 2016
For more info, and to enter, visit peninsuladailynews.com
TURN
TO
STORM/A5
INSIDE TODAY’S PENINSULA DAILY NEWS 100th year, 62nd issue — 2 sections, 18 pages 631558742
The Great Outdoor Photo contest, proudly sponsored by Browns Outdoor, encourages children, 13 & younger, to share photos they snap while out and about.
Crews were working Sunday to restore power at all locations. To report an outage in an area served by the PUD, phone 360452-9771 or 800-542-7859 In Port Angeles, power went out in the Lauridsen Boulevard and Lincoln Street area just after 4 p.m. The power outage left the Clallam County Home and Lifestyle Show exhibitors in the dark at the Port Angeles High School gymnasium.
CLASSIFIED COMICS COMMENTARY DEAR ABBY DEATHS HOROSCOPE NATION PENINSULA POLL PUZZLES/GAMES
B5 B4 A7 B4 A6 B4 A3 A2 B6
*PENINSULA SPOTLIGHT
SPORTS SUDOKU WEATHER WORLD
B1 A2 B10 A3