Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

One of the two men convicted in connection with the events at a Salkum-Onalaska area home in which three people were fatally shot in August 2010 has lost his appeal regarding his responsibility to pay funeral and burial expenses for two of the victims.

Ryan J. McCarthy

Ryan J. McCarthy, 28, Redmond, and John A. Booth, 31, of Onalaska, were both charged with first-degree murder and extortion shortly after the slayings of David West Sr. 52, his son David West Jr., 16, and a friend Tony E. Williams, 50, of Randle. Denise Salts, then 51, who also lived at the house on Wings Way, survived a gunshot wound to her face.

Authorities contended the visit by the two former cell mates to the residence was related to some kind of debt collection and that gun fire erupted when West Sr. brought out a shotgun and told them to get out of his house.

Booth was convicted by a jury two years ago of murder, attempted murder, attempted extortion and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is serving a life sentence.

McCarthy was sentenced to 14 years in prison after getting a deal in which he pleaded guilty under doctrines such that he pleaded to crimes he did not commit to escape consequences of more serious charges, and agreed if a jury heard and believed the state’s evidence, he would likely be convicted.

McCarthy appealed the order by Lewis County Superior Court that he pay as part of his restitution the expenses for West Jr. and Williams who were shot by Booth, according to the opinion issued last week by the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II.

He pleaded to first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and attempted extortion in connection only with West Sr., according to the opinion. His murder charges were dismissed.

At his restitution hearing, both prosecutors and the defense argued to the trial judge he must find a causal connection, but the judge disagreed, according to the opinion. And two of the three appeals judges sided with the trial court judge.

The amounts in question were $5,750 for West. Jr. and $819.25 for Williams.

Judges George Fearing and Joel Penoyer stated that since the state paid benefits for West Jr. and Williams, finding they were entitled, it must have concluded McCarthy’s burglary, robbery and extortion were a proximate cause of their deaths.

In her dissent, Judge Jill M. Johanson pointed out the payments were distributed less than a month after the original charges were filed and long before McCarthy’s role was presented.

Johnason agreed with McCarthy that the Lewis County Superior Court erred as it improperly imposed restitution without making a finding his acts were related to the expenses incurred.

At his sentencing, prosecutors told the judge Booth fired the shots and “Mr. McCarthy was there.” His lawyer told the judge his client passed a  a lie detector test that confirmed his story in which he ran outside before Booth fired any shots.
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For background, read “Court hearing reveals more details about Salkum triple slaying” from Saturday Oct. 1,  2011, here

The two lane county road just east of state Route 507 north of Centralia is closed for a collision investigation. / Courtesy photo by Grant’s Towing.

Updated at 11:38 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Two young people were killed when their car slid into the path of of a dump truck on Big Hanaford Road just north of Centralia last night.

The four-door Kia Spectra was traveling westbound near Wigley Road and crossed the centerline into an eastbound Freightliner hauling a pup trailer, according to responders.

Fire Capt. Tim Adolphsen said he didn’t know if the truck was loaded or not.

“The reports we got, the car lost control in front of him and he struck it, on the passenger side,” Adolphsen said.

Dead at the scene were car’s driver, Jonathan W. Parker, 20, from Centralia, and his passenger Tiara F. Kalebaugh, 18, of Pe Ell, according to the Washington State Patrol.

“I would probably say they were killed on impact,” Adolphsen said.

He described the car as destroyed.

It happened shortly before 9:40 p.m. The state patrol indicates speed was a factor.

The truck’s driver, a 52-year-old Kevin L. Geer, of Tenino, was reportedly uninjured. His truck was damaged and towed, according to the state patrol.

The roadway was closed for approximately five hours while investigators were on the scene, according to Trooper Will Finn.

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CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correctly reflect the type of truck involved.

Updated

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The fire that gutted a taxidermy shop in Littlerock last week has been found to be arson.

West Thurston Regional Fire Authority Chief Russ Kaleiwahea said today he didn’t have many details, as the written report is not yet completed.

“In talking with the investigator, it’s my understanding it’s determined to be incendiary,” Kaleiwahea said. “That’s kind of a new word for arson.”

Alden’s Taxidermy is on Palermo Southwest, just east of Littlerock Road.

The fire was well underway when it woke neighbors who called 911 about 4:30 a.m. last Thursday. Arriving crews found a fully involved structure fire that extended to a pickup truck parked next to it and left just two walls standing, according to Chief Robert Scott.

Scott said at the time, he assumed there is a substantial loss of contents.

Alden’s advertises they offer services from skinning to custom mounting of wildlife from elephants to mice.

“It was not only his works of art, but people he was doing business for as well,” Lt. Lanette Dyer, a department spokesperson said.

A notice on Alden’s business web site states the phone is scheduled to be repaired and asks for contact via email to assist in inventorying items which may have been lost.

Elements of the investigation were turned over early on to the sheriff’s office when questions arose about some of the findings.

Dyer said various pieces which should have been there could not be found among the debris, leading to the possibility of theft.

A dog belonging to the owner Alden Johnson, was inside the building but has not been located either, she said. Johnson was in Hawaii at the time, getting married, she said.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Greg Elwin said their arson investigator is working with the fire department and the business owner to evaluate evidence and identify persons of interest.

Randall D. Mauel faces a judge while his brother Ryan G. Mauel, wearing green, waits his turn during a bail hearing.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The two brothers arrested when more than a dozen law enforcement officers swarmed a Jackson Highway house south of Chehalis and seized pounds of drugs will get their chances to make their pleas in court tomorrow.

Randall D. Mauel, 42, and Ryan G. Mauel, 37, appeared yesterday afternoon briefly in front of a judge who set their bail at $25,000 and $10,000 respectively.

The reason for the difference is the younger man has no criminal convictions in his background and the older brother has several prior offenses, according to prosecutors.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler was told Randall Mauel has a “pretty decent job” and an address in Pierce County. Ryan Mauel earns about $500 a month doing odd jobs and lives at his parents’ property where the two were arrested on Monday, defense attorney Bob Schroeter told the judge.

Officers found freezer bags containing about $200,000 worth of methamphetamine crystals and two baggies filled with heroin, according to authorities.

The approximately 146 grams of heroin was described by a sheriff’s office spokesperson as powdered and brown but in charging documents as a tar-like substance, with a street value estimated at $11,600.

The raid that took place about 12:30 p.m. on Monday at the 2500 block of Jackson Highway came out of fast-moving investigation by the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, according to task force commander Capt. Dave Johnson. Officers following up on a tip obtained a search warrant just that morning, Johnson said today.

Johnson said he couldn’t reveal too much, but did know the drugs arrived locally from California within the previous 24 hours.

The Lewis County Regional Crime Task Force and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team assisted, contributing about half of the 14 law enforcement officers that conducted the arrests, according to Sgt. Rob Snaza.

Snaza is the SWAT leader and supervisor of the local task force.

According to charging documents and Snaza, the SWAT members entered the home through a door inside the carport and confronted the older brother, and then the younger brother who walked out a bedroom.

Two other individuals present were arrested but not charged. Snaza said the subjects were taken into custody without incident and no one else was at the home at the time.

Under a coffee table in the family room, inside a black duffel bag, Thurston detectives discovered the drugs and four digital scales along with packaging materials, according to the charging documents.

One of the bags held seven smaller portions of suspected meth in smaller zip lock-style baggies, according to the documents.

Charging documents state that when “Randy” Mauel was searched, a detective located $602 cash, more than $400 of it in $20 bills. The documents indicate a school bus stopped across the street, suggestive of so-called sentencing enhancements which can be implemented when drug crimes occur near schools or school bus stops.

Also arrested at the scene were Jonathan R. Stajduhar, 34, of Chehalis and Tesa M. Hanks, 34, of Centralia, but they were released from jail without charges pending further investigation, according to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Mauel brothers were each charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, one for each type of drug. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The methamphetamine totaled 2.7 pounds, the sheriff’s office said.

They were also charged with a class C felony, unlawful use of a building for drug purposes.

Schroeter indicated in court yesterday the home and property belongs to the men’s parents, the younger brother has lived there all his life and has taken care of his mom and dad for years.

It’s unclear where the older brother resides.

Charging documents say that Ryan Mauel told a detective the two have lived there about a month, and he pointed out his bedroom and said his older brother usually slept on the couch in the family room. Schroeter confirmed Ryan Mauel lives there, but said he took issue with the information that Randall Mauel does.

The sheriff’s office describes them both as Chehalis residents.

Their arraignments are scheduled for tomorrow morning in Lewis County Superior Court.

The younger Mauel is represented by local attorney Jacob Clark, the older Mauel by David Arcuri.

One gallon freezer bag containing methamphetamine is among drugs confiscated yesterday outside Chehalis. / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Updated at 1:07 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Law enforcement officers seized more than $200,000 worth of drugs yesterday from a house south of Chehalis, arresting four individuals.

The raid about 12:30 p.m. at a house on the 2500 block of Jackson Highway yielded both brown powdered heroin and methamphetamine, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

A one-gallon freezer bag which was located was nearly filled with chards of meth some as long as a Sharpie felt pen.

“Those are the biggest crystals I’ve ever seen in my career,” sheriff’s Chief Criminal Deputy Gene Seiber said.

The more than two and half pounds of meth is estimated to have a street value of some $200,000. Nearly 150 grams of heroin discovered inside the home is valued at almost $12,000, according to the sherif’s office.

The Lewis County Regional Crime Task Force and the sheriff’s office SWAT team assisted the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force in serving the search warrant.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Rob Snaza praised the partnership between agencies as being vital to getting drugs off the streets.

“”We recovered a large amount of meth and heroin (yesterday) which made a positive difference in our community,” Snaza said in a news release this morning.

Arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession with intent to deliver were:

• Randall D.  Mauel, 42, of Chehalis
• Ryan G. Mauel, 37, of Chehalis
• Jonathan R. Stajduhar, 34, Chehalis
• Tesa M. Hanks, 34, of Centralia

Hanks and Stajduhar are to be released without charges pending further investigation.

Brown powdered heroin located at Chehalis area residence. / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Updated at 3:24 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 69-year-old man who drove himself to a Vader restaurant after sustaining a gunshot wound to his abdomen is recovering at a Tacoma hospital.

His 43-year-old female roommate has been arrested for first-degree assault.

The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded about 4:40 a.m. to a Ryderwood home after receiving 911 calls from both John Stiller and Linda Cochran.

He said his roommate shot him and he was trying to get out of the house; she said she had just shot somebody inside her house, according to the sheriff’s office.

Stiller was able to leave, get into his vehicle and drive himself to the Little Crane Cafe in Vader where he was met by aid and a deputy, according to responders.

He was airlifted to Tacoma General Hospital where underwent surgery, the sheriff’s office reported this afternoon. The (Longview) Daily News reports the sheriff said the injuries did not appear to be life threatening.

The sheriff’s office stated Cochran stayed on the line with the 911 dispatcher who advised deputies the woman continued to shoot randomly; however Cochran was talked out of of the residence and taken in to custody without incident, according a news release from the sheriff’s office.

It’s unknown why she shot him, but appears she may be dealing with some mental issues, the sheriff’s office said.

Stiller was shot with a hunting rifle believed to be owned by Cochran, the sheriff’s office said.

He is sedated but will remain in the hospital during this initial recovery stage, the sheriff’s office reported this afternoon.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Napavine area family lost everything in a house fire this morning, except their lives.

Crews called about 5 a.m. to the 300 block of Raubuck Road found fire in the front room of the two-story house and extinguished it, according to Fire Investigator Derrick Paul.

Two adults and four children escaped safely, according to Paul.

“There were working smoke detectors throughout the house, that’s what woke the parents up,” Paul said. “The fact is smoke detectors quite possibly saved the lives of all those kids.”

A pet dog was evacuated as well, according to Lewis County Fire District 5. The parents were treated at the scene for minor smoke inhalation, according to Paul.

Five fire departments battled the blaze, according to District 5.

Paul said the the fire damage was confined to the front room, although the rest of the house sustained heavy smoke damage.

It appeared the blaze began next to the chimney, Paul said. A fire had been left burning overnight in a fireplace insert, their only source of heat, he said.

After everyone had cleared the scene, part of the family returned and called 911 about 9:45 a.m. when they saw smoke, according to Paul.

“This time there was fire throughout the residence,” he said. “Basically, it burned to the ground.”

It’s undetermined what caused the second fire, but it’s a possibility an unextinguished ember flared up, Paul said.

“That sort of stuff does happen, nobody wants it to happen, we try real hard to make sure it doesn’t happen,” he said.

Paul said the Red Cross is assisting.

He also noted he wanted to emphasize that especially this time of year when the cold weather has more folks burning in fireplaces, that chimneys should be checked.

Earlier this morning, multiple occupants of a two-story house southwest of Littlerock escaped another house fire.

Crews were called about 3:40 a.m. to the 13900 block of Vue Street Southwest, according to West Thurston Fire Authority.

While there were smoke detectors, an overnight guest was awakened to smoke before they went off and found fire in the laundry room, Chief Robert Scott said.

Five fire departments responded to assist. Flames had extended into the roof in one area, the attic space of the second floor and over the garage, according to Scott.

The home was left with smoke and soot damage to most of the second floor, Scott said.

In that case, one male was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and a minor burn to his hand, Scott said. Five or six people escaped the fire, he said

The cause is under investigation.

A house in the Bordeaux area southwest of Littlerock caught fire this morning. / Courtesy photo by Robert Scott