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Show I I ' June 20, 2002 . - 'S 11 1th Year s JV. J . i ri : - t A 4s T .( V ,r t r. .. . OjJlV. .it ' - r t V . 1 -- Thursday 50 Price, Utah No. 50 V i- m ' ' r I Ai i ' - Blaze rages on hillside near Helper By RICHARD SHAW Staff reporter the flames that had travelled up the hill toward the top of the A June 18 blaze that started about 1 p.m. when a Helper resident allegedly attempted to bum garbage m a barrel continued to demand attention of Ore fighters from several agencies on Wednes- ridge. Some fire fighters went up the hill with shovels, but the fast moving blaze made quick work of the weeds and dry grass on the steep slope. Every time the fire encoun- tered a cedar tree, the plants almost took off like a dry piece of paper. Few trees existed on the slope so the fire movement was not as strong as it could have been if there was more fuel Thees cover the mesa on top of the slope and fire units headed toward the ridge via the Helper Gun Gub road. The first two units to arrive on top were a Price engine which was too big to fit down the narrow paths to meet the blaze and a smaller bush fire fighter truck that was able to make it to the ridge after a few minutes. day morning. Units from Helper were initially called to the scene Of the blaze. Then Price fire crews were dispatched to the scene and told to bring as many pumper units as possible. , The fire occurred on the west side of U& Highway 6 behind the homes near mile marker 233. Local emergency units responded initially at the bottom of thehilL But after about 20 minutes of battling the blaze and keeping it from damaging structures in the area, it was apparent the hoses of the fire fighters would not reach By then. Price firemen had walked through the thick trees with shovels and United States Bureau of Land Management crews were also on top of the Officers from the Utah Highway Patrol, Helper police and the Carbon County Sheriffs Office focused cm traffic control and told motorists to move on. There was a lady in front of me driving through the area of the fire and she had to slam on her brakes because of someone was pulling back onto the travel lane after watching the fire, ridge. The fire fighters arrived as the blaze was approaching the crest of the cliff. Several trees on top started to burn, but the crews were able to keep the fire mostly contained on the slope. Luckily, the wind was blowing from the west so the fire was not as apt to spread onto the pointed out UHP Hooper Jason Marshall. Its wasnt very safe with people doing that kind of stuff. The incident served as an example of why the open fire season closed three weeks early for 2001 Open bum permits are litdue to tinder erally mesa. All in all, crews from four different agencies battled the blaze. But the fire wasnt the only problem. The conflagration was visible from U.S. 6 and people began to stop on the side of the road to watch it bum. The situation created some near traffic accidents. non-existe- dry conditions. We arent at what we call a red flag day right now, explained Rudy Sandoval, fire warden for the Carbon-Emer- y County area, lbesday afternoon But we are (Continued on page 2A) I Agencies arrest suspects in UDOT emphasizes exercising caution while traveling across highway construction zones aggravated burglary case By KAREN BASSO Staff reporter During the parly morning hours ofJune 14, police were dis-patched to a homq in south Price. The public safety dispatch center broadcast indicated that four male subjects had purport- broken into a private resi- dence and assaulted a home- owner. The subjects had also al- legedly removed property from the dwelling. Price Police Officers Julie Ori and Shane Henrie along with County Deputy Tory Christiansen responded to the scene to find the home a wreck and the suspects gone.' According to Price Police LL Ed Shook, Deputy Christiansen suspicion that the suspects may have headed to the hospital to visit a friend. Law enforcement officers fol lowed upon the lead, found several of the subjects standing out side of the hospital entrance and a chase ensued. According to Shook, the suspects reportedly ran through the hospital followed by officers, One subject surrendered in the hall- way, with foe others evading the law enforcement authorities only I to be captured inside thesbuilding. Local law enforcement au- thorities subsequently arrested four suspects from St George, including two adults and two juveniles. '' Shook identified foe adults as Thomas Saul Ochoa and Justin Verdaie Clark. The two adult suspects were arrested on felony aggra- vated burglary, felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor theft and criminal mischief charges. Clark was also arrested on an unlawful possessioiiAtte of a controlled substance offense. The two juveniles detained in connection with foe case were Ja--i son Saul Ochoa and Jose Aliel .Ledezma,both 17 years old. or copy The two teenagers were trans- ported to the youth detention center on the same felony level and misdemeanor category By KAREN BASSO Staff reporter charges as the adult subjects, Ledezmawas also detained on an intoxication offense, After apprehending the four suspects, police officials turned to die scene of foe alleged crime to investigate, According to Shook, the four individuals purportedly arrived at foe residence at approximately 5 ajn, demanding entrance into the home. Apparently the Price resident knew the year-ol- d suspects and refused to allow foe four to enter foe home, After a brief argument, the re-ed- ly on ' suspects reportedly kicked in the door and entered foe house, wav-ha- d ing knives at the Price man. The indicated that he fought off the attack with a broom. One of foe suspects allegedly threw a knife at the Price resident, hitting the man in the chest, explained Shook. The flat side od the knife made contact with the chest, causing little harm. The Price man subsequently ran to a neighbors residence to contact polios. The suspects purportedly fled the scene with several items from foe home, indud-in-g a car speaker. The Pnce resident had a dog which was apparently on the porch at the tune of the incident, added Shook. After the suspects left the scene, the dog was discovered missing. As the investigation continued, law enforcement personnel searched the suspects vehicle. Inside, officers found the missing speaker along with suspected n drug paraphernalia and a com dog. At first, the officers thought die con dog was irrelevant to the case. However, a second corn dog was found at the scene. It appears the suspects were hungry and had apparently taken the com dogs from foe home on page 2A) half-eate- ed With warmer weather comes toad construction. And summer 2002 is no exception. Highways at locations thrcxigfrout Utah vrill be undergoing repair and improvement projects during the next several months, including the roads surrounding Carbon tion crews will start repair work on U.S. Highway 6 at the Sunny-sid- e Junction. Between mile posts 253 and 256, a passing lane will be constructed. The $1J mil- lion project is scheduled to be completed by August. Also beginning in early July, construction will be underway from mile posts 202 to 212 between Skyview and the White County. River. The Utah Department' of Transportation has issued a list of projects which will occur along U.S. Highway 6 during the summer. The repairs are intended improve problem areas and ensure driver safety. UDOT cautions motorists The project will focus on chip sealing the road as well as adding a wet reflective pavement marking tape to allow drivers to see lines during storms. A lane level overlay, chip and seal project is also scheduled to start in July between Colton and Helper. At the same time, repairs to U.S. Highway 6 from the golf course to foe west Price area will also take place, that each construction project has a delay attached, therefore drivers are urged to plan ahead for the related halts 20-min- in traffic flow. Officials indicated that Currently, reconstruction is taking place between mile posts 19S and 198. Crews are making this section of road a five lane highway and foe projects is expected to last until September. Repair costs are estimated at projects will be completed this year or if part of the repairs will carry over to next summer. The projects are scheduled to continue through September. But if the ground temperature falls lower than 45 degrees Fahrenheit, construction will end. In order to properly pave roadways, ground temperatures must be higher than 45 degrees. How; ever, the temperature usually drops around September or Oc- $14.5 million. Construction is scheduled to begin the second week of July between mile posts 263 and 288, located from Cedar Ridge to Woodside. Plans include reconstructing the road adding an overlay and chip seal to the final foundation. The repairs will ensure that the Helper overpass preliminaries start Drilling ctBw members are taking samples of the ground where the dnic-tur- e of the Helper overpass-interchang- e is planned. The rigs have been poking holes in the ground on the east side of U.S. Highway 6 by the Price te OTcpmpletBd,itwinnottakeloitgbefbrethaactiialconstriictionbqdns. : The stretch of U.S. Highway 6 between Wellington Main Street and Cat Canyon will also undergo repairs starting in Au- . River Parkwayand at the Martin crossing in the northern part of town. The samples are used to tel engineers how deep the supports will have to be simk to stabUze the overpass structure. Once all the preliminary studies ! road withstand heavy traffic with little wear to the foundation. The project will require that the section of U.S. Highway 6 that is under repair be limited to a single travel lane. Pilot cars and flaggers will be , present to aid in traffic control efforts. A delay is expected for people traveling in both directions. Starting around the first or second week ip July, construe- - tober. : . gust The repairs will include leveling and repaving the lanes be- tween mile posts 247 ant 251 : Although UDOT plans to widen the stretch of road between Price and Wellington, the project will not begin until 2003 Utility relocation will take place this year, however, to pre? (Continued on pege.2Al |