State Trooper Killed by Avalanche in Washington
On 2/9/21 at 11:02 AM EST
A 51-year-old Washington State Patrol trooper was found dead after getting caught in an avalanche while snowmobiling near Cle Elum on Monday, authorities said.
Trooper Steve Houle, a 28-year veteran of the state patrol's commercial vehicle division, went missing during an avalanche near the French Cabin Creek area and Knox Creek trailhead, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office said.
In a news release, the sheriff's office said authorities had received reports of two men who had gone missing in the avalanche at around 12:40 p.m. One of the men was able to dig himself out and hiked to safety before calling for help, it added.