Updated: 11-18-2003 03:34:34 PM New Blood Evidence in Deadly Oregon Crash Story Tools: Send It - Print It - Most Sent - Most Popular Insider: Get e-Alerts - Register/Subscribe PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) _ New tests on blood taken from the driver in a deadly van crash that killed eight firefighters last summer show that his blood alcohol level may have been under the legal limit. The first sample from the burned body of Mark Ransdell had yielded an alcohol level of about .13 percent. Oregon's legal limit is .08 percent. Later tests by a state pathologist of two additional samples yielded levels of .05 percent and .07 percent, according to defense attorney David Terry. Malheur County prosecutor Dan Norris said Monday the new results would not change his case against Ransdell's employer, First Strike Environmental Co., a private firefighting contractor charged with reckless endangerment and drunken driving, punishable by fines. The prosecutor alleges supervisors at First Strike knew a large amount of alcohol was purchased during the firefighters' trip home from an Idaho wildfire. First Strike has filed a motion to dismiss the case. Sean A. Aaron (CIFN*1) Central Illinois Fire Network cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.geocities.com/central_illinois_firenet _____________________________________________________________ Get email for your site ---> http://www.everyone.net