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Charter plane crashes, killing all 5 on board

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published November 15, 2006

ROLLING PRAIRIE, IND. - Authorities searched a cornfield Tuesday for the remains of five people killed in the crash of a twin-engine plane that went down shortly after takeoff in foggy weather.

Two Rivers Marketing of Des Moines, Iowa, had chartered the flight to take its co-founder and three employees on a business trip from Ankeny, Iowa, to South Bend, in northern Indiana.

Crash investigators had not determined the cause of Monday night's accident, but the plane began its return flight in poor weather, with limited visibility and fog.

Two Rivers Marketing identified the victims, all from Iowa, as co-founder Tom Dunphy, 41, Eric Jacobs, 31, Josh Trainor, 23, and Leslie O'Bannon, 27. Also killed was pilot John M. Trewet, 45, officials said.

RIVERSIDE, CALIF.

Cigarette device may have started wildfire

A wildfire that killed five firefighters last month in Southern California was started with a device consisting of a cigarette and six matches, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Authorities suspect a similar device was used in June to set two other wildfires that were later linked by DNA to the man charged with setting the deadly blaze, according to court documents obtained by the Press-Enterprise of Riverside.

Raymond Lee Oyler, 36, is charged with murder and arson in the fatal fire, and with arson in 10 other blazes. He has pleaded not guilty.

The device used to start the October blaze was being tested for DNA.

"We want to stress there is overwhelming evidence," district attorney spokeswoman Ingrid Wyatt said. "We're absolutely sure we have the right man behind bars."

LOS ANGELES

Police already cleared in videotaped arrest

A district attorney's investigation has cleared police officers of wrongdoing in a videotaped incident in which a transient in handcuffs was apparently pepper-sprayed in a police car, police Chief William Bratton said Tuesday.

The February 2005 incident came to light this week when the videotape, shot by a citizen, was released by the man's attorney.

Bratton cited a Nov. 15, 2005, decision by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in which prosecutors declined to file any charges against officers in the arrest of Benjamin Barker, who had been in a scuffle with a Venice merchant.

"Examination of the videotape clearly shows (the officers) did not use excessive force on Benjamin Barker, nor did they assault him under color of authority," Bratton said, quoting the decision. "The officers showed remarkable restraint and demonstrated professional courtesy to Barker despite his belligerent, threatening and combative behavior."

Elsewhere ...

GENEVA, ILL.: A jury ordered the Kane County Chronicle, a suburban Chicago newspaper, on Tuesday to pay $7-million to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Thomas for a series of articles that he alleged were untrue and damaged his reputation and career. An appeal is likely, defense attorneys said.

DENVER: Four men have agreed to settle sexual-abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver for $100,000 to $150,000 each after going through mediation, attorneys and church officials said.

[Last modified November 15, 2006, 02:15:02]