EMT honored for heroism after crash
Keith KINNAIRD<br | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 16 years, 1 month AGO
SANDPOINT - Bonner County commissioners gave a standing ovation Tuesday to an off-duty emergency medical technician who is credited with saving lives following a fiery crash on U.S. Highway 95 earlier this month.
Bonner County Emergency Medical Services EMT Daniel Knott was honored for rescuing three people, including an infant, from a vehicle which caught fire after the collision on Dec. 3.
"Knott acted with complete disregard for his own personal safety or comfort, placing himself in harm's way and extricated three critically injured persons from a burning vehicle," Givens said, reading from the commendation.
Givens said the occupants of the vehicle would have burned to death without Knott's intervention.
Kimberlee Rae Dingman, a 44-year-old from Sandpoint, died of injuries she sustained in the crash in the Careywood area.
In other related developments on Tuesday, the Washington state man suspected of causing the collision was arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter and aggravated driving under the influence.
William Deardorff was taken into custody following his release from Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho State Police said.
Deardorff, a 53-year-old from Spokane, is being held at the Bonner County Jail. His bail is set at $500,000.
The criminal case against Deardorff was sealed pending an initial appearance in the magistrate division of 1st District Court, which could be held today.
State police said Deardorff was southbound in the Careywood area when his pickup crossed the center line and collided head-on with a northbound Jeep Cherokee in which Dingman was a passenger.
The Jeep's driver, Crystal L. Bertolucci, was critically injured and is being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The hospital declined to say what condition Bertolucci was in on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old woman's daughter, Skylar, received non-life-threatening injuries, according to ISP. The 1-year old was strapped into a car seat at the time of the crash.
Dingman is survived by a husband and three children. A memorial fund in her name has been established at US Bank. Memorials are also being accepted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Coeur d'Alene.
Spokane television stations have reported that Deardorff has an extensive history of driving-related offenses, including prior drunke- driving arrests, in Washington. Aside from the pending charges, Deardorff has no prior record in Bonner County, court records show.
MORE IMPORTED STORIES
ARTICLES BY KEITH KINNAIRD<BR
Appeals court rules in cattle truck spill case
SANDPOINT — Idaho’s Court of Appeals is upholding the vacated judgment against a Canadian cattle truck driver accused of spilling a mixture of feces, urine and rainwater on U.S. Highway 95 in Boundary County.
Constitutional amendments on Nov. 2 ballot
SANDPOINT — Idaho voters will get a chance to weigh in on Idaho constitutional amendments concerning funding for the University of Idaho and public airports, hospitals and electrical systems.
Man with child porn arrested by Border Patrol
PORTHILL — A United States citizen was arrested earlier this month after allegedly getting his car stuck while attempting to sneak into Canada with a laptop computer containing child pornography.