SPOKANE-- A woman died late Thursday after slipping over a ledge on Painted Rocks near the intersection of W. Rutter Pkwy. And Keenan Lane in North Spokane.
The victim has been identified as 18-year-old Lois Ordway-Fleck.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and the Spokane County Fire District 9 got the call around 7:15 p.m. about the fall.
Authorities said five adult friends, four women and one man, were hiking on Painted Rocks. A Spokane County Deputy spoke with one of Ordway-Fleck's four friends that were at the scene. He told the Deputy that the friends were hiking on the trail when Ordway-Fleck and one of her friends walked off the trail and started to climb one of the large rocks on the cliff. The witness said he walked down to the base of the cliff, looked up and saw Ordway-Fleck tumbling down the rock face. Ordway-Fleck had lost her footing and tumbled about 300 feet down a hillside. The witness said he did not see any signs of life from Ordway-Fleck from where he was standing.
Deputies arrived on scene and located Ordway-Fleck near the base of the cliff. A Sheriff's Deputy and a Spokane County Fire District 9 paramedic checked her and the paramedic pronounced her deceased at the scene.
A helicopter was brought to help light the area while rescuers reached the other women. The woman on the rock face was rescued around 9:30 p.m. Rescuers said the tricky, rocky and loose terrain made the rescue difficult.
Deputies on scene determined the death was accidental.
It does not appear that alcohol or drugs played a part in the incident.
