Teen dies after sand cave collapse

A 15-year-old male died Aug. 25 after being rescued from a collapsed sand cave on Aug. 23 at Dash Point State Park in Federal Way, according to the King County Medical Examiner. South King Fire and Rescue was called to assist in the rescue after the cave buried the Oregon boy in sand. The Associated Press reported the teen’s family dug his head and shoulders out of the substance.

Several of the sand caves are located along the Washington coast and at Dash Point, SKFR spokeswoman Kirsti Weaver said. The area is usually marked with warning signs, but they are consistently removed by park visitors, park ranger Lem Pratt told the AP.

The teenager died Monday at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, the medical examiner said.

Court clears woman over voting dog

On Aug. 25, a King County District Court judge dropped charges against a Federal Way woman who registered her dog to vote.

Jane Balogh, 67, was cleared of misdemeanor charges of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant. To qualify for the dismissal, Balogh completed 10 hours of community service and paid a $240 fine.

Balogh had registered her Australian shepherd, Duncan, to vote via absentee ballot. On three separate occasions, she sent in a ballot signed with Duncan’s paw print. The ballots had the word void written across them, meaning Duncan never officially voted.

Balogh was concerned about voter fraud and believed acquiring a voters registration card in Washington was too easy. She wrote state lawmakers several times, questioning what she called a flawed system, but never received an adequate response, she said. This was a way to demonstrate her point.

Balogh pleaded not guilty to the charges last summer.

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