Local News
Ken Shaffer killed in plane crash near Goheen Airport in Battle Ground
BATTLE GROUND, Wash. – Authorities are investigating a fatal plane crash that occurred Friday afternoon near Goheen Airport in Battle Ground, Washington, claiming the life of a local pilot.
The aircraft, identified as a Cessna 172, went down in a field just outside the airport perimeter shortly after 1 p.m.
Upon impact, the plane’s fuselage was severely damaged, with portions of the registration number still visible on the wreckage.
The aircraft became fully engulfed in flames immediately after the crash.
Emergency responders from Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue arrived on scene within seven minutes of receiving the call.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly but confirmed that the pilot, Ken Shaffer, did not survive the crash.
No additional passengers were reported to be on board.
Early observations of the crash site and accounts from witnesses suggest the plane may have entered a near-vertical impact with moderate energy, raising the possibility of a stall/spin event.
However, officials stressed that these findings are preliminary and that the official cause of the crash will not be determined until the investigation is complete.
Weather conditions at the time of the accident did not appear to play a role.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has secured the scene and is working in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Authorities are expected to release further details as the investigation progresses.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. — A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coroner’s Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguez’s death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.