Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news

CHEHALIS – The man fatally shot by Centralia Police Department Officer Ruben Ramirez last month was a convicted felon carrying a stolen handgun, only recently arriving to the Centralia area with his girlfriend.

Paul M. Edmundson, 43, was staying at the Pepper Tree Motel and RV Park, using an alias. He had an extensive criminal history over 23 years from multiple states and was in the process of covering up a tattoo on his lower chest of Edmundson, one letter at a time.

But he didn’t steal the burrito that drew a police officer to the encounter at the corner of South Tower Avenue and East Cherry Street the morning of June 29.

Anchor Bank parking lot, June 29, 2014

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer concluded last week that Ramirez’s use of deadly force was justified. Police Chief Bob Berg is expecting a decision from an internal use-of-force review board by early next week at the latest. And Ramirez could be back on the job after that.

The Centralia Police Department’s initial statements that day were the officer shot and killed a man suspected of shoplifting the snack from the nearby gas station, because he reached into his pocket for a handgun as he was being detained.

Meyer’s summary of events offer a slightly different version.

A letter released by Meyer describing his legal analysis to the lead investigator in the case includes 13 pages of information, some which is pertinent to Ramirez’s decision to draw and fire his weapon, and some of which is relevant only to explain the decedent’s actions. Numerous individuals who witnessed portions of the situation described to investigators what they saw.

Including Ramirez, a 15-year veteran of the police department, a member of its SWAT team and a K-9 handler.

The investigative team of detectives from surrounding police agencies – from the counties of Lewis, Thurston, Pacific, Mason and Grays Harbor – was headed up by Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Detective Ben Elkins.

Michelle Milligan, 44, from Vancouver, told investigators she and Edmundson, although she called him Chris, had been dating about three months and came to Centralia about a month earlier.

Of his behavior in previous days, she said: “(H)e was going crazy on everybody; he was just going on a nut.”

That morning, Milligan described going to Fuller’s grocery to purchase vodka and a roast beef sandwich. And then up to the next block to the Chevron service station and mini mart to get burritos and rolling papers.

Milligan and the clerk told how she didn’t have enough money to pay for both, so she left the burritos in the microwave.

Meyer’s summary of facts discovered, some of which was learned through viewing surveillance video, tells how Milligan exited the store and crossed the parking lot to speak with two men, one of whom then came inside and took the burritos from the microwave and left, returning once again to heat them up and left again.

His name is Adam Casperson, according to Meyer.

Chevron service station, South Tower Avenue

The 911 call about shoplifting came just before 10 a.m. and when Ramirez arrived in his patrol car, with his police dog Lobo, he found Milligan and Edmundson sitting in the grass across Cherry Street next to the parking lot at Anchor Bank.

Ramirez told an investigator he began to speak with them and wanted to see their identification because based on his information, they were involved in the theft.

Edmundson was mouthy, Milligan denied stealing the burritos and told Ramirez the one he wanted was hiding in the woods, according to the letter.

But when Ramirez looked at the identification Edmundson handed him, he recognized the name on it of Christopher R. Matthews as the suspect in an assault two days prior at the Pepper Tree.

Ramirez had responded to the Friday afternoon call to the motel where a 50-year-old guest there said that during a disagreement an acquaintance he knew as Chris threw him to the ground and struck him in the eyelid with something sharp.

Ramirez indicated to investigators the man in the ID did not match the man he was talking to at the bank very well, and decided to detain him to determine the connection, according to Meyer.

Ramirez asked Edmundson to stand up.

A customer across the street at a different gas station said he watched the man stand up and turn his back to the officer as if preparing to be handcuffed. Ramirez said the man began to resist by pulling away.

Milligan said the cop was being really, really rough and “Chris” was saying “Ouch, you’re hurting me.”

Milligan said at about that time, the police dog jumped out and started attacking “Chris”. “And the dog’s attacking his arm, and dog’s attacking his leg, and the dog’s attacking him all over viciously,” he said.

Ramirez said because he was dealing with a felony suspect, who disengaged, he deployed his K-9 and ordered him to “engage” Edmundson.

“And Chris is screaming, you know, and I’m screaming, I’m like, you know, I’m like, he’s trying, he’s hurt, can you just tr-, call the dog off him …,” Milligan told investigators.

Milligan said she ran out to the road, screaming for someone to help.

Ramirez called for backup and thought it unusual Edmundson continued to fight through the bites, even as Ramirez ordered him to stop.

Witnesses described seeing the two men and the dog engaged on the ground.

A former Centralia police officer Steve Dawes was at the bank’s ATM with his girlfriend and said he saw the two men on the ground tussling while the dog was biting and the man was resisting and ignoring Ramirez’s commands. Dawes said he had turned his attention back to finish his ATM transaction and heard a gunshot.

Ramirez told investigators that when they were on the ground, Edmundson had his hand underneath his body and he heard scraping sounds. He thought it could be a knife, given the assault from the Pepper Tree, he said.

Ramirez said he looked and saw it was the butt of a gun and Edmundson was pulling it out from what appeared to be his waistband.

Ramirez backed up, told him drop it. Ramirez heard a click sound.

Ramirez fired a single shot from his weapon.

Edmundson died at the scene. A single round penetrated his heart and lodged in his spine.

Meyer’s analysis includes that when making a decision to use deadly force, an officer must have probable cause to believe that the person “poses a threat of serious physical harm to the officer.”

The elected prosecutor points out Ramirez made two requests for assistance, that Edmundson ignored repeated commands and gained possession of a firearm, which became, at that moment, a fight for life for Officer Ramirez.

“Officer Ramirez was left with no choice but to draw his weapon and protect his own life,” Meyer wrote.

The firearm recovered was described as a Sig Sauer P938 9mm, stolen out of Longview. It was found in the “cocked” position with a round in the chamber, according to Meyer.

How many dog bites Edmundson sustained was not mentioned in Meyer’s report.

An individual named Michael Caton was interviewed, and told investigators he saw Casperson, Milligan and Edmundson at the Chevron, and that Edmundson had flashed a gun at him and it was not the first occasion.

Caton told investigators  Edmundson was dangerous because he was drunk all the time and had a gun.

Prosecutor Meyer who attended the autopsy noted the smell alcohol emanated from the body.

Meyer wrote that Edmundson was originally identified as Christopher Matthews, but fingerprint analysis revealed who he really was.  Edmundson’s previous convictions included assault, robbery, burglary and firearm offenses from Utah and California. Just a month before he was killed, he was arrested in Oregon for driving under the influence.

Meyer called the outcome tragic, but wrote had Edmundson survived, among the crimes he would have charged him with related to the events the morning of June 29 were attempted second-degree murder, or in the alternative, second-degree assault.
•••

For background, read:

• Prosecutor Meyer’s letter detailing his investigative conclusions, here

• “Stolen burrito leads to fatal shooting in Centralia” from Sunday June 29, 2014, here

• “Coroner releases name of police shooting victim” from Wednesday July 2, 2014, here

• “Centralia police shooting case now in the hands of prosecutor for review” from Monday July 14, 2014, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The lawyer for the fired Lewis County Jail sergeant shot back yesterday, issuing a press release criticizing Sheriff Steve Mansfield for attempting to try the case in the news media, reminding news reporters of Mansfield’s personal experience of being investigated for alleged criminal conduct.

Centralia attorney Shane O’Rourke said he represents Trevor S. Smith, who was terminated at the end of last month for mistreatment of two inmates and then arrested earlier this week for allegedly accessing secure jail computer records while he was still on the job.

“As a career corrections officer, my client respects the court system and the judicial process, and because of that we are not going to make any comments about the facts of the disciplinary proceedings or criminal case against my client other than to say that there are always more facts to a story than what only one side offers,” O’Rourke wrote. “We will allow those facts to come out through the legal process.”

Mansfield revealed on Wednesday that Smith was let go because he abused his authority in dealing with assaultive inmates, insinuating Smith moved beyond containing the situations and into punishing the individuals.

The sheriff called Smith’s actions disgusting and embarrassing, but didn’t go into much detail, citing a concern of jeopardizing a termination hearing.

However, a fulfilled public record request for the June 27 termination letter and other related documents show Smith was disciplined last year after directing that an inmate be kept in a restraint chair for approximately twelve hours without food, water, or restroom breaks.

And on Jan. 25, an inmate with mental health issues was not offered a wet towel, a shower or any “decontamination” for more than five hours after Smith had directed the discharge of OC-10 pepper spray into his closed cell, according to the sheriff’s office. There was no running water in the cell at the time, having been shut off the day before due to his attempt to flood the cell.

The termination letter from Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Steven Walton noted that in both cases squad members approached Smith about attending to the inmates’ needs and Smith ignored them, allowing the inmates to suffer.

“Your conduct in this case screams of deliberate indifference to the care and well-being of those over whom you are responsible,” Walton wrote on behalf of the sheriff. “Indeed your conduct ‘shocks the conscience’ and could be viewed as violating basic civil rights possessed by all human beings regardless of status.”

Smith’s attorney O’Rourke pointed out Mansfield is an outgoing sheriff and that his office isn’t supposed to be involved in a large part of the investigation – Smith’s criminal case – because of a conflict of interest.

O’Rourke noted the sheriff has had firsthand experience as both being the subject of an investigation – in 2009 when allegations were made of Mansfield harboring a runaway; the 16-year-old girlfriend of his son, a case that ended with no charges filed – and contended he has before attempted to impose his own beliefs and try a case in the media before it was brought to court.

“(A)s was the case with the Ronald Brady homicide from a number of years ago, where his judgment was later proven to be incorrect by a trial court and appellate court,” O’Rourke stated.

O’Rourke was one of two Lewis County deputy prosecutors who tried the Brady case in 2011 and has since moved into private practice with the firm of Buzzard and Associates. Sheriff Mansfield refused to arrest Brady who shot at two intruders on his Onalaska property, saying it was self defense.

“My client and I hope that as this case moves forward, Sheriff Mansfield draws upon these experiences and discontinues any efforts to improperly taint this case and further prejudice my client,” O’Rourke wrote.

The June 27 letter did not name the two inmates, but did offer further details about the most recent incident.

The inmate with mental health issues was described as a man large in stature, 6-feet 9-inches tall and about 275 pounds, who had exhibited aggressive behavior since his incarceration. He was being held in the medical observation area when he reached through the cuff port in his cell and grabbed an officer’s keys, pulling the officer against the door, according to Walton.

The inmate got the keys, but returned them shortly after an entire three-ounce can of OC-10 was discharged into the cell, Walton wrote.

The decision to use force, the pepper spray, to gain compliance wasn’t questioned, according to Walton.

But leaving him to suffer without any relief was extremely serious and demonstrated unacceptable judgement and decision making, he wrote.

Walton left the sheriff’s office when on July 1 he took a position as Lewis County budget administrator, but has been designated to continue in the chief of staff-undersheriff role for the purposes of handling Smith’s case.

Smith was hired at the sheriff’s office in 2004 and promoted to jail sergeant in 2011.

Smith has filed a grievance through his union, asking to be reinstated, claiming his termination was not for just cause.

His arraignment on charges of computer trespass is set for next Thursday.
•••

For background, read “Lewis County Jail sergeant let go for mistreating inmates, then arrested for computer snooping at work” from Wednesday July 16, 2014, here

Updated

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A toddler found unconscious and not breathing in a swimming pool at a Centralia home was revived by his father and rushed to the hospital this afternoon.

Aid called at 4:50 p.m. to the 600 block of G Street learned the dad discovered the 2-year-old boy and pulled him from the water. The child had no pulse and the dad started CPR, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

A paramedic unit from the Pearl Street station was the first unit on the scene and arrived in just under a minute and a half, according to Capt. Scott Weinert.

The boy was conscious and breathing but crying when they got there, Weinert said. Medics performed advanced life support measures to ensure the toddler continued to breathe and remained stable, he said.

It happened in a backyard built-in swimming pool, he said.

“We’re really happy he’s in stable condition and hopefully he continues to improve,” Weinert said.

When someone stops breathing for whatever reason, immediate and early intervention through CPR is key, according to Weinert.

“It’s important, that’s why it’s taught, because it can make a difference,” Weinert said.

But a traumatic event such as a near drowning could lead to a variety of physical issues or complications that still need to be evaluated by doctors and possibly treated, according to Paramedic Jade Gross.

The child was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and then transferred to Seattle Children’s Hospital for observation.

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between the ages of 1 and 4 and it’s the third leading cause of death among children, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

The department took the opportunity to remind adults to be mindful of the risks and familiarize themselves with water safety tips for little ones. Riverside recommends a resource with numerous tips called Safe Kids Worldwide.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 10-year veteran of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office has been fired over his manner of dealing with two assaultive inmates.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield said Trevor S. Smith worked in the jail where he was promoted to sergeant in 2011. He was terminated June 27 for an incident at the beginning of this year and another last year, Mansfield said.

The longtime corrections officer abused and exceeded his authority, Mansfield said.

It was the way they were treated, the way they were contained that was a problem, and how Smith handled it was inappropriate, the sheriff said without going into much detail.

“Both situations involved inmates who were acting out and assaulted staff, situations that needed immediate intervention,” he said. “That’s what it is; it’s disgusting and embarrassing for this organization.”

Mansfield said he is reluctant to say more, as Smith is appealing his firing, and the sheriff worries about jeopardizing any termination hearing that may come up.

Meanwhile, Smith was arrested on Monday at his home in Chehalis for a discovery made after he left, that he allegedly had been snooping into secure jail computer records.

“He had no business accessing administrative and personnel files,” Mansfield said. “There’s a reason for them being secure.

Mansfield said he used someone else’s password.

Some deleted files have been recovered but the primary issue is he should not have been reading them and collecting information, the sheriff said.

Smith was booked Monday into the Lewis County Jail for five counts of computer trespass, a class C felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to the sheriff. He was housed at another jail until his hearing in Lewis County Superior Court yesterday and then released by the judge, Mansfield said.

The criminal allegations, investigation and arrest were handled by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

The inmate treatment issues were investigated internally.

Mansfield said after the most recent incident, Smith was taken out of any role that involved contact with inmates and put on administrative duties, in an office next to the jail chief’s.

Mansfield spoke in general about the duty of care to the people housed in his jail. Feeding, housing and making sure they are safe is his obligation under the law, he said.

Corrections officer have a variety of ways to contain or isolate problem inmates, including using whatever level of force is necessary, but only until the point the situation is stabilized, he said.

“If they do something wrong, the judge decides the level of punishment, not me,” he said. “When people cross that line and make it their role to punish someone, you’ve got problems.”

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news

CHEHALIS – An Adna native was seriously injured in a fiery explosion at a dormant oil well in central Texas.

Cameron McDonald, 25, is in a Houston hospital, with several broken bones and severe burns to his face, arm and legs, his Uncle Jim Harris said today.

Cameron McDonald

“He doesn’t remember anything at all,” Harris said. “He still doesn’t know why he’s in the hospital.”

It happened on Wednesday at a work site in New Baden, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Austin, Harris said.

He got a phone call from his sister, who flew down yesterday to be with her son, he said.

Harris has been scouring the news to find out what happened and said he learned his nephew was using a cutting torch to remove bolts from a catwalk above a 12,000 gallon storage tank.

Harris said he understands McDonald was wearing a harness and thrown clear, but then slammed face first into the hot metal of the tank. News accounts say he was critical when transported and describe pillars of smoke visible for miles.

The incident is under investigation by Texas regulatory authorities.

Harris said his nephew only recently took the out of state job with a company that dismantled well sites, as he understood it. Before that, he worked construction locally, he said.

“Cameron, he just went down there in December,” he said. “He decided he was going to go down there and get some of that big oil money and took off.”

Harris got the call from his sister about 2:30 p.m. the day it happened, shortly after his nephew’s employer called his sister, Janie Harris, also of Adna.

They’ve been keeping in close contact. She texted him yesterday with an update, he said.

She told him her son is pretty upset.

“They won’t let him see his face or the news yet,” Janie Harris texted her brother. “Both his eyes are black, all his teeth are gone. But he’s alive. Thank God he’s tough.”

He’s had some skin grafts, Harris said, but it’s not clear how long he might be hospitalized.

Today, his nephew was able to walk from his bed to the bathroom, a good sign, Harris said.

“I hope he pulls through, he’s burned pretty bad,” he said.

The mowing tractor is parked after accident in Mossyrock. / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Fire District 3

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A man cutting a hayfield in Mossyrock who fell onto the blades of his hay mower yesterday is expected to survive but likely faces a long road to recovery.

Lewis County Fire District 3 was called by someone at the trailer court next to property on the 200 block of Mossyrock Road West  about 5:30 p.m.

“At the time of the incident he was alone, but when I got there, people were around,” Fire Chief Doug Fosburg said. “He was conscious and alert, but in a lot of pain.”

Fosburg said it was an older style piece of equipment – with five blades – where the cutting surfaces are exposed, not shielded.

The victim, who he estimated is in his 40s, had pretty severe cuts on all four extremities with quite a bit of blood loss and will probably lose some fingers, Fosburg said. Both legs and one arm were broken, he said.

He said responders were able to get him stabilized fairly quickly, administering fluids, and splinting and dressing his wounds.

He was airlifted from Mossyrock High School to Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, according to Fosburg.

“He’s very lucky no vital organs were hit,” the chief said.

It didn’t appear the injuries were life-threatening, but it’s definitely going to be a long road, he said.

Hay mower blades / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Fire District 3