PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Nike executive has been indicted by a Washington County grand jury, charging him with trying to kill his wife and four children with a natural gas leak.
The Oregonian reports 36-year-old James Willis Speidel faces nine charges of attempted murder. He appeared in court Wednesday.
Authorities say his wife smelled natural gas in their home on April 24, fled the house and called the gas company. Company crews found that an outside line had been cut and suggested she contacted authorities.
Washington County sheriff’s investigators said the line appeared intentionally cut and was placed so that gas could fill the crawl space, potentially leading to an explosion.
