Police

A 31-year-old Stevenson man was arrested on Aug. 14 by Skamania County deputies on a reported rape case involving a 32-year-old Vancouver woman.

Nicholas Michael Higgs appeared for a preliminary appearance on a charge of rape in the second degree on Aug. 15, where bail was set at $50,000 and he received a court appointed attorney.

Higgs will make his next appearance at his formal arraignment, currently set for Aug. 25 at the Skamania County Courthouse.

The Skamania County Sheriff's Office received information at 4:38 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 20, of a vessel on fire at Swift Reservoir. Its location was approximately five miles west of the boat launch at the Swift Forest Camp Pacific Power and Light campground.

Seven individuals were reported to be on the vessel at the time of the fire. All were able to get off of the burning vessel and were transported to the shore by private vessels where three were treated for burns and transported by North Country EMS (Fire District 13 out of Yacolt) to the hospital.

The Skamania County Sheriff's Office patrol boat responded to the 1970 18-foot Sea Ray vessel, extinguished the fire, and towed the hull back to shore. There was no fuel spillage reported.

The vessel was owned by Harry Krussman of cabin #22 at Swift Cabin Estates, located approximately 18 miles east of Cougar.

Names of those involved nor the extent of injuries were not available at this time.