Blankenship eyes run with third party

Former coal baron Don Blankenship said Monday heis launching a third party campaign for the Senate after losing in West Virginia’s Republican primary ,a decision that could complicate GOP efforts to keep its majority in the midtermelections.

Mr. Blankenship, who finished third earlier this month, said in a statement that he has accepted the Constitution Party nomination.

But he must convince state election officials that his campaign does not run afoul of a “sore loser” law barring candidates who lose in party primaries from switching party affiliations to get on the general election ballot.

If Mr. Blankenship is able to do that, it would be a blow to the Republican nominee, state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Mr. Blankenship has the ability to attract support from conservative voters Mr. Morrisey is trying to consolidate behind his campaign.

“It is especially appropriate for me to be nominated by the Constitution Party given its staunch and uncompromising commitment to upholding the United States Constitution, ”Mr. Blankenship saidin a statement.

Mr. Blankenship served a year in prison for conspiring to violate mine safety and health standards after a 2010 underground explosion killed 29 miners.

Mr. Morrisey won the GOP nomination to face Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who is one of the most vulnerable senators facing re-election this year.

Maryland cop killed

TOWSON, Md. — Rifle-toting police swarmed into a Baltimore suburb where a female officer was fatally injured, searching for suspects after witnesses reported hearing a pop and seeing the officer run over by a Jeep.

Several people tried to keep her alive, but she was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The officer was responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle when she encountered at least one suspect and was “critically injured,” police spokesman Cpl. Shawn Vinson said.

Guilty plea planned

FORTLAUDERDALE, Fla. — Federal prosecutors said an Alaska man agreed to plead guilty to a Florida airport shooting rampage that killed five people and wounded six last year.

The agreement filed Monday says Esteban Santiago, 28, will plead guilty to 11 of the 22 counts against him. He would serve a life prison sentence.

N.C. driver mentally ill?

BESSEMERCITY, N.C. — A North Carolina businessman suffering from severe mental illness left a meal with his family, got into his sport utility vehicle and then drove at high speed into the restaurant, killing his daughter and daughterin-law and critically injuring other relatives, his pastor said Monday.

Roger Self had been treated for depression and anxiety that seemed to become more intense in the 2½ months preceding Sunday’s deadly crash, said the Rev. Austin Rammell of Venture Church in Dallas, N.C. The pastor, who is a close family friend, said Mr. Self opened up about his problems about 10 weeks ago, when he asked his son to take his guns away from him.