Posts Tagged ‘By Sharyn L. Decker’

News brief: Fatality on state Route 507 blamed on texting

Wednesday, December 7th, 2016
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Roadway is closed at 20200 block of state Route 507 for investigation. / Courtesy photo by Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 24-year-old Chehalis man was texting when his car left the roadway and struck a tree in South Thurston County yesterday evening.

Daniel M. Aker died at the scene, according to the the Washington State Patrol.

Troopers called just before 6 p.m. to state Route 507 about three-quarters of a mile south of Bucoda found Aker’s Honda Civic was totaled, according to the state patrol.

The highway was shut down until just before 10 p.m.

The investigating trooper determined Aker was traveling northbound and texting when his car crossed over the oncoming lane and hit a tree on its driver’s side.

News brief: One month house arrest for unauthorized pot growing

Tuesday, December 6th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A case in which a 33-year-old man confessed to police he was growing marijuana for a Seattle dispensary inside a Centralia building owned by his mother ended today with a 30-day sentence.

Anh Tuan Hoang Nguyen struck a deal with prosecutors in which they dropped a charge of manufacture of marijuana and he pleaded guilty instead to felony possession of marijuana. The agreement included dismissing the charge against his mother.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello said the only difference between the penalties for the two offenses was the opportunity to serve the time on electronic home monitoring.

Charging documents in the case indicate the investigation by detectives with the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team began on April 20, following up on tips from citizens about the  building described only as on Tower Avenue in Centralia – with recently darkened windows.

More than 100 plants were found inside, according to Masiello.

Seattle attorney Andrew Nguyen told the judge his client had been cooperative. Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt agreed with the recommendations.

The defendant, who lives in Auburn, was ordered to begin electronic home monitoring by no later than Jan. 3.
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For background, read “Pot in Centralia: A growing underground industry” from Friday July 29, 2016, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Tuesday, December 6th, 2016
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•••

Updated

BEVERAGES PICKED FROM PORCH

• Police were called just before 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon to the 700 block of West First Street in Centralia where they were told someone stole a case of Monster energy drinks from the front porch.

VEHICLE PROWL

• Centralia police were called about 6:20 p.m. yesterday to the 100 block of South Silver Street for a car prowl in which a GPS device and charger cords were stolen, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OUT OF CONTROL INMATE

• A 17-year-old student-inmate at Green Hill School was contacted by police last night after allegedly spitting on a staff member. An officer called just before 11 p.m. to the state juvenile detention facility on the 300 block of Southwest 11th Street took a report about the alleged custodial assault, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AND FROM MORTON

• Officers received a call regarding a raccoon problem in the city limits last week. The individual was wondering if it was legal to shoot them if needed with a firearm and was advised that it is not legal to shoot a firearm in the city limits of Morton, according to the Morton Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor assault, driving with suspended license, third-degree malicious mischief; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, harassment, civil issue, third-degree theft, suspicious circumstances, collision on city street, county road and state highway… and more among 121 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Police Pursuit: Speeding driver speeds up to 118 mph

Tuesday, December 6th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A nearly 50-mile police chase down Interstate 5 ended near Vader this morning; the driver had failed to stop for speeding, according to the Washington State Patrol.

It began about 3:40 a.m. when a trooper tried to pull a vehicle over near milepost 109 in Olympia for going too fast, according to the state patrol.

They didn’t want to stop and a pursuit reaching speeds of 118 mph ensued, Trooper Todd Bartolac said.

Numerous law enforcement officers got involved because when they ran the license plate, they found the suspected driver had quite a bit of history, threatening police, Bartolac said.

Law enforcement used spike strips and flattened one of the tires, he said.

Finally, a PIT maneuver was performed near milepost 60 and the driver was taken into custody, without further incident, Bartolac said. The driver was to be booked into the Thurston County Jail.

News brief: Thurston deputies begin carrying life-saving overdose medicine

Monday, December 5th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Deputies in Thurston County are now carrying a medication in their patrol cars that can help save lives when minutes count.

Beginning today, the opioid overdose medication Naloxone is an extra tool available to deputies, in the event that they arrive on the scene of an overdose before the medics.

“This problem appears to be getting worse and more widespread,” Thurston County Undersheriff Timothy Braniff stated in a news release. “We need to be prepared to help anyone who we come in contact with who may have succumbed to this addiction.”

Naloxone is a nasal spray designed to reverse the depressive effects of opioids on the respiratory system and may counteract the effects of a heroin or other opioid overdose, according to the sheriff’s office. Opioids include heroin and many other powerful prescription pain killers.

Thurston County Public Health and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office worked collaboratively to equip patrol deputies with the prescription medicine.

At any given time, there are at least a half dozen patrol deputies on the job around the county, according to Sgt. Kenneth Clark.

“We’ve had cases when a deputy is two blocks away, and it’s five to six minutes for the fire department to arrive,” Clark said. “That could mean the difference between life and death.”

Previously, deputies could start CPR, but now they have this additional way to help, until medics get there and take over, he said.

They are the first law enforcement agency in Thurston County to carry the drug, according to Clark.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office encourages people to call 911 if a friend or loved one may be experiencing an overdose. The symptoms of an opioid overdose can include unresponsiveness, absence of breathing or no pulse, and bluish lips or finger nail beds, according to the sheriff’s office. When suffering from an opioid overdose minutes count if the person’s life is going to be saved, they state.

The sheriff’s office reminds the public that recent changes in the law have provided protection against prosecution for possession of a controlled substance when a person seeks medical assistance for a person who is experiencing a drug-related overdose. The law also provides similar protections from prosecution for the person who may have suffered an overdose, according to the sheriff’s office.

“There’s a lot of people who recognize we have the problem, and this is a way of potentially helping,” Clark said.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, December 5th, 2016
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Updated at 1:46 p.m.

SLOW-MO PURSUIT ENDS AT LAKE

• A 29-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly stole a vehicle in Morton, refused to stop for law enforcement that was following him and finally let the vehicle head down a grassy slope nearly into Mayfield Lake on Saturday. Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said Shane M. Kaz bailed out, but then jumped into the lake. A deputy was notified just after 10 a.m. of the theft from a man in Morton and the suspect was headed west on U.S. Highway 12, according to Breen. The vehicle was traveling 25 to 30 mph and periodically driving in oncoming lanes, Breen said. He was followed up Winston Creek Road and eventually stopped along Village Road in Mossyrock, Breen said. Kaz, from Vancouver, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle and eluding, according to the sheriff’s office.

TAVERN TROUBLES

• Centralia police responded to an approximately 12:40 a.m. call today for a physical dispute involving a half dozen people at a drinking establishment on the 100 block of South Tower Avenue. Nobody was arrested but the instigator was told to leave and not come back, according to the Centralia Police Department. A disorderly person had been removed from a drinking establishment in the same block two hours earlier, according to police.

ARREST MADE IN PEPPER SPRAY ATTACK

• A 20-year-old Centralia resident was arrested about 12:30 p.m. on Saturday for first-degree robbery in connection with an incident reported about 2 a.m. last Tuesday in which a male victim said he had been assaulted with pepper spray at the 1000 block of Belmont Avenue. Miguel V. Martinez, was allegedly in possession of both heroin and methamphetamine when he was detained by police and was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

BREAK-IN CENTRALIA

• A 38-year-old Centralia man was arrested after he allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend’s residence at the 1400 block of Harrison Avenue and stole her credit cards on Saturday. Officers called about 4:35 p.m. located Tyler J. David, and booked him in to the Lewis County Jail for second-degree burglary and second-degree theft, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AUTO THEFT

• Chehalis police were called for a vehicle theft about 5:40 a.m. on Saturday at the 2000 block of Southwest Salsbury Avenue. The owner had gone outside to warm up the car and 20 minutes later discovered the silver 2002 Audi A4 was gone, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The man’s construction work tools were inside, according to police.

• Centralia police were called about 1:30 p.m. on Friday to take a report from the 500 block of East Summa Street that a vehicle rented there had not been returned and was considered stolen. Missing is maroon colored 2015 Dodge Ram, with a license plate reading C38035D, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police were called about 8:40 p.m. on Saturday to the 2600 block of West Reynolds Avenue where an individual reported someone broke out his vehicle window and stole a bag of groceries.

• Two different victims reported that their vehicle windows were broken out and coats were taken within a 30 minute period just before about 7:45 p.m. on Saturday in the area of Pearl and Magnolia streets in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Christmas ornaments and clothing were stolen from a vehicle parked at the 100 block of West High Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 5:40 p.m. on Saturday. A window was broken out, according to the Centralia Police Department. An officer was called back to the same area at 8 p.m. for a similar incident in which a backpack and clothing were stolen.

• Centralia police were called at 6:15 p.m. on Friday to take a report that medication had been stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked at the 500 block of South Tower Avenue.

• Someone broke a window of a vehicle parked at the 1000 block of Eckerson Road in Centralia and stole three frying pans, according to a report made to Centralia police about 4:15 p.m. on Friday.

DRUGS AND CONTRABAND

• A 44-year-old Onalaska man picked up for an outstanding warrant about 10:30 a.m. on Friday at the 700 block of Leonard Road was arrested at booking when approximately seven grams of suspected methamphetamine were discovered, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Matthew W. Wright was arrested for a violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

• A 30-year-old inmate at the Lewis County Jail was arrested early Saturday morning after the pink smashed fruit and liquid mixture found inside two bottles found there tested positive for alcohol content. A deputy called to the facility about 2:30 a.m. arrested Jacob O. Meyer, from Vancouver, for possession of a controlled substance or intoxicant by a prisoner, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Syreeta W. Hookano, 38, of Rochester was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for driving under the influence after allegedly being involved in a two-vehicle, minor injury collision at about 10 p.m. on Saturday at North Tower Avenue and First Street in Centralia.

• Centralia police determined the pedestrian was at fault for crossing the street at the 100 block of North Tower Avenue outside of a crosswalk and getting struck by a vehicle. The approximately 6:10 p.m. incident on Saturday resulted in a minor injury, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 20-year-old Centralia man was arrested for hit and run on Friday after allegedly striking two parked vehicles at the 100 block of East Walnut Street in Centralia and leaving the scene. Gabriel Rodriguez-Rodriguez was arrested and then released pending a court date, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called at 7:47 p.m. on Friday about a hit and run to a parked vehicle at Harrison and View avenues. An officer was called at 12:22 a.m. Saturday for a hit and run to a fence on the 600 block of Woodland Avenue and then another parked vehicle struck at 4:28 a.m. at the 300 block of West Fourth Street, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, harassment, loitering, hit and run, protection order violation, suspicious circumstances, collision on city street … and more among 390 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Sleepy semi driver okay after spectacular wreck

Friday, December 2nd, 2016
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Diesel fuel and sulfuric acid are cleaned up on I-5 near milepost 78 on Thursday. / Courtesy photo by Washington State Patrol

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The driver of the semi truck that wrecked on Interstate 5 in Chehalis yesterday was listed in satisfactory condition this morning.

The Washington State Patrol reports they believe the 44-year-old man from Lakewood fell asleep. His northbound truck crashed through the center barrier and landed on its side beneath the West Street bridge.

The southbound lanes were closed for about eight hours while the wreckage and mess was cleaned up after the approximately 6:30 a.m. collision.

The 2016 International tractor and trailer were totaled.

Tanu V. Teloma was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and then airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

His is being charged with negligent driving, according to the state patrol.
•••

For background, read “News brief: One injured, I-5 closed southbound at Chehalis” from Thursday December 1, 2016 at 8:20 a.m., here