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Police ID woman killed in accident

Brian Walker; Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 2 months AGO
by Brian Walker; Staff Writer
| October 11, 2016 9:00 PM

HAYDEN — Amber E. Viuhkola was identified Monday as the 38-year-old Hayden woman who was struck and killed by a Kootenai County Sheriff's Office vehicle as she was walking across U.S. 95 at Miles Avenue early Saturday morning.

On her Facebook page, Viuhkola identified herself as a stay-at-home parent. Viuhkola died on scene, Idaho State Police reports state.

ISP, which is investigating the case, did not release the name of the deputy driving the vehicle.

"We haven't even interviewed the deputy so we don't believe it's fair to put his name out there yet," ISP Lt. Chris Schenck said. "We're barely into the infancy of the investigation."

Schenck said ISP hopes to interview the deputy today, view video from the car and from a nearby business, and determine the speed of the vehicle during the crash.

There is no crosswalk or traffic signal in the area where the accident occurred.

Schenck said it was overcast at the time of the accident, so visibility may be among the factors considered during the investigation.

Allen Ashby, an ISP trooper, said there's limited lighting — from adjacent businesses — where the accident occurred and it's not as well lit as major intersections in the U.S. 95 corridor.

KCSO Lt. Stu Miller, spokesman for the sheriff's office, couldn't be reached for comment on Monday. Monday was the Columbus Day holiday, so law enforcement and other government agencies had limited crews working.

According to ISP, the deputy was southbound on U.S. 95 in the right lane at Miles in a 2008 Crown Victoria at 1:35 a.m. Saturday when the accident occurred.

Anyone who witnessed the accident is urged to call ISP at 209-8730.

Ashby said some witnesses have already come forward and will be interviewed.

An autopsy was performed Monday. Toxicology results are expected to be released in about three weeks.

ARTICLES BY BRIAN WALKER; STAFF WRITER

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