Charges Dropped Against Pair Who Filmed Pipeline Protest

SEATTLE (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped charges including burglary and sabotage against two filmmakers who recorded a protest at an oil pipeline in Washington state last month.

The filmmakers, Lindsey Grayzel of Portland, Oregon, and Carl Davis of Orcas Island, Washington, say they were working on a documentary about climate activist Ken Ward on Oct. 11 when Ward broke through a fence and turned a safety valve along the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline near Burlington. Ward also live-streamed his actions.

The three were among 11 people arrested that day amid attempts to shut down oil pipelines in several states in solidarity with those protesting the four-state Dakota Access pipeline project in North Dakota.

In an order signed Friday, the Skagit County Prosecutor's Office said it needs more time to investigate and could re-file the charges.