A truck with a spilled load is causing problems on northbound Interstate 5 at the City Center exit in Tacoma.

The incident just occurred, according to the state Department of Transportation Web site.

Traffic is blocked and stopped.

UPDATE: This is a roll-over crash on the ramp from northbound I-5 to I-705, the state Department of Transportation reported at 1:50 p.m.

The crash is blocking.



UPDATE 2: State Patrol troopers, a tow truck and transportation officials are on the scene.



UPDATE 3: Reader Brian Spiegel of Olympia sent us

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There’s been some commenting on a Lights & Sirens blog post Monday about lack of coverage of a robbery at an East Side liquor store.

I got the information about that yesterday but was a little tied up with other news. So here’s the information:

A man robbed the liquor store at 1415 E. 72nd St. on Friday night. He implied he had a weapon during the robbery, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said.

He was described as black, in his 30s and 5 feet 7 with a medium build. He wore a dark green jacket and

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I’ve written about this phenomenon in the past, but it never ceases to amaze me. Our blogging software lets us see the search terms that bring people to Light & Sirens.

I’m always amazed that a) so much weird, vile stuff leads people somehow to us (well, we do write about a lot of nastiness). And b) how much these search terms reveal about the anonymous internet users out there.

Once again, a list of search terms that should never have happened:

* where can i get crack

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An 81-year-old Spanaway man accused of killing his son during an argument earlier this year has been found incompetent to stand trial.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Ronald Culpepper made the ruling Tuesday.

Under the decision, the first-degree murder charge against Clarence Gerald Munce was dismissed. Culpepper also ordered Munce, who suffers from dementia, to be taken to Western State Hospital for civil commitment proceedings.

Munce was accused of fatally shooting his 58-year-old son, Gerald Munce, during an argument over an automobile hood ornament June 21. The father had called 911 to report the shooting at his

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It’s going to be a wet and windy start to the new year.

A storm is passing through the South Sound, beginning early Wednesday and lasting through the week. The National Weather Service has issues a wind advisory as meterologists expect gusts of up to 50 mph though the area, and even more on the mountains.

Weather Service meteorologist Art Gaebel said the Tacoma area’s heaviest winds came early Wednesday, and will continue off and on through the week as storms pass. Heavy showers are predicted through the week, with temperatures lingering at about 40 degrees.

"The

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The number of Washington State Patrol vehicles hit by suspected drunken drivers more than doubled this year.

Through today, 25 troopers have had their cars hit by impaired drivers. That’s up from 11 cases in 2007, the agency announced today.

“We are exceptionally fortunate that none of these incidents has ended in tragedy for a trooper and their family,” said State Patrol Chief John Batiste in a press release. “And while we might be angry at the drunks’ behavior, we don’t want them to get hurt either.”

In half of the incidents, troopers had parked on the

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The state Department of Corrections is investigating how an inmate at McNeil Island Corrections Center was able to escape briefly Monday.

Donald A. Dravis Jr., 43, was found on a ferry docked at McNeil Island on Monday night and was taken into custody without incident, agency spokesman Chad Lewis reported today. The ferry was later able to leave the dock.

Dravis was handcuffed and returned to the prison for a medical evaluation and detainment. He’s in segregation, Lewis said.

Officials were reviewing how Dravis was able to get out of the secure prison. He was out for

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It’s been a slippery morning out there.

Black ice coats the roads in spots and has led to several crashes.

Thurston County dispatchers report slick driving conditions and several accidents.