Shane Wyrsch Family donations-

Thanks to everyone who's been asking. I found the information and am posting it below.

For those wishing to make a donation, an account has been set up at Bank of America. The account name is the Shane Wyrsch Family Benevolent Fund. For out of state donations, please specify to the bank that this is a state of Washington account.

Take care all!

In Memory Of...

...Shane Wyrsch, United States Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer, husband and father. Rest in peace Shane, you're going to be sorely missed. (Photo is a USFS file photo).

I hate saying those words. Especially when they relate to someone I've known for years. I worked with Shane on several assignments. We'd call each other and chat, pass along information, check up on each other. He'd always ask about my son. He got to know my son when my son was helping me teach a man tracking course that Shane was attending in the Morton area. Shane was concerned when my son went to Pakistan... the Middle East and was relieved when he learned my son was no longer in the military. He wanted to see my son become a law enforcement officer for the Forest Service.

When Shane and I worked together we would always get the job done. Because of politics, budget, etc. you can't always say that about every job assignment in this business.

Several of our assignments would take us weeks to complete... weeks away from home. On the hottest, muggiest days of the year... when the woods were full of bugs, bees and bad guys we'd follow helicopters all over the state in search of those less than legal cash crops that were being grown in our forests.

Shane loved his job, he loved the outdoors and he loved his family.

He was a big man... "powerfully built"... not one to mess with. His shoulders were huge, his arms the size of most men's thighs, his grip vice like. Yet, he moved up and down the mountains of Washington State effortlessly, trail or no trail.

Shane Wyrsch was killed by a drunk... an "alleged" drunk... the night before last as he was travelling home on Highway 410 just outside of Buckley, WA. I drove past the site yesterday while I was heading to Enumclaw for a meeting. I saw the spent road flares, the paint on the road put there by the investigators, the tire marks and gouges. I remember thinking to myself that the road must have been blocked for awhile simply because of the remnants of the flare patterns.

As I passed by the site I thought about the accident, the people involved and hoped no one was seriously injured but knew better because of the condition of the scene.

I had no idea this was the site where Shane was killed... I didn't even know Shane was dead yet. Not until I was told by a good friend when I walked through the door at the meeting.

I don't like drunk drivers.

Shane didn't either.

This is such an avoidable tragedy.

Here's the story as told by "King 5 News":

"U.S. Forest Service officer killed in crash

06:16 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 20, 2007

By: BERNARD CHOI / KING 5 News

Troopers say the driver had a suspended license

BUCKLEY, Wash. – A suspected drunk driver involved in a horrific crash that killed a respected law enforcement officer should never have been on the road.

The Washington State Patrol says U.S. Forest Service Officer Shane Wyrsch was driving home on Highway 410 near Buckley Monday night when a pickup crossed the center line and slammed into him head-on. Witnesses say the man who hit Wyrsch was driving very erratically. Troopers say he was likely drunk, and driving with a suspended license.

All that's left of Shane Wyrch's truck is a mangled pile of metal.


U.S. Forest Service

Shayne Wyrsch was killed in a head-on crash near Buckley Monday night.
The 16-year veteran patrolled the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest and the communities nearby.

"Each and every one is like a brother, and losing Shane will be very similar to losing a family member," says Enumclaw Police Officer Don Banner.

"He lived in this community and anything he could do to further make it a good place to live, he never hesitated."

Wyrsch died Tuesday morning, leaving behind a wife, two children and countless colleagues.

A spokesperson says the entire U.S. Forest Service family is devastated by Wyrsch's passing. The State Patrol plans to investigate this as a vehicular homicide."


Dammit all anyways!!!