Lewis County Sirens.com

Benjamin J. Breitenbach, in red, is led into a courtroom for a bail hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Bail was set at $25,000 this afternoon for the Toledo resident accused of raping a woman this weekend he had met on a social media dating website.

Benjamin J. Breitenbach, 37, allegedly admitted to law enforcement to having sex with the alleged victim but said it was consensual, according to court documents.

Breitenbach was arrested after being contacted at his home about 10 p.m. on Saturday.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy responded to a call about 6 p.m. on Saturday and spoke with the woman who said the two communicated on the site Plenty of Fish and she went to his home that afternoon on the 200 block of Kangas Road.

She said she had met him on the site about a month earlier.

“(She) further explained she and Breitenbach had been exchanging small talk for approximately 10 minutes when he suddenly attacked her on the sofa,” Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Melissa Bohm wrote in charging documents.

He allegedly grabbed her breasts, twisting them causing a great amount of pain, and used that leverage to push her into an adjacent bedroom where he raped her despite her protests.

He left the room, she was able to depart in a near hysterical state and called 911, according to Bohm.

The sheriff’s office this morning reported the 41-year-old woman sought medical attention.

Breitenbach denied to law enforcement any kind of roughness, according to Bohm.

He was charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with second-degree rape, a class A felony with a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Temporary defense attorney Rachael Tiller this afternoon told a judge Breitenbach is employed but she believed he qualified for a court appointed lawyer. Centralia attorney Don Blair was appointed.

Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher asked the judge to hold the defendant on $25,000 bail, because of the violent nature of the alleged offense.

Meagher said Breitenbach had only three warrants in the past, related to minor driving offenses.

Judge James Lawler agreed with the request but stated he had thought the state would have asked for a higher amount.

Breitenbach’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday morning in Lewis County Superior Court.
•••

For background, read “Claim: Meet-up associated with dating website leads to rape in Toledo” from Monday June 5, 2017, here

Detectives begin to examine the interior of a car after getting a search warrant on Sunday.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Chehalis police say it appears the woman found dead yesterday inside a car at K-Mart died from a gunshot wound.

Officers responded just after 10 a.m. yesterday to a call of a suspicious death at the 1200 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

The light green 2001 Kia Rio was situated in a parking space at the far south end of the lot.

Department spokesperson Linda Bailey said a gun was found with the woman.

A search warrant was obtained, evidence was collected and the car impounded, according to police.

Police are awaiting a report from the coroner to confirm the identity, according to Bailey.

There was identification found with her, but the car is registered to someone else, Bailey said. The vehicle has Washington license plates, according to police.

As of this morning, nobody had contacted police about a missing person, Bailey said.

It’s the third time in six weeks a person has been discovered deceased inside a vehicle in the city of Chehalis.

The cause and manner of death in the previous two cases have not yet been released, although they did not include gunshot wounds, according to Bailey.

On April 21, the body of a 16-year-old boy was discovered inside his car parked at the Twin City Town Center, also on Northwest Louisiana Avenue. Cole Burbank of Camas had been reported missing eight days earlier by his parents and police subsequently concluded his Honda Accord had been parked at the shopping center since the day he disappeared.

Early on the morning of May 6, a man was found dead after a car fire, in a Honda Accord parked on residential property just south of the Yard Birds Shopping Center off Northeast Kresky Avenue. Robert A. Mansker, 48, was from Kelso.

The Lewis County coroner has said he is awaiting the results of various tests in those cases.

Bailey said the police department will release details in the new case as they become available.
•••

For background, read “Body discovered in vehicle in Chehalis store’s parking lot” from Sunday June 4, 2017, here

Detectives begin to examine the interior of a car after getting a search warrant.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Police are investigating after a person was found dead inside a car parked in the lot at K-Mart in Chehalis today.

Chehalis Police Department Sgt. Rick McNamara said it was reported about 10 o’clock this morning.

He didn’t have much information and said a press release will be issued.

Officers, detectives and personnel with the Lewis County Coroner’s Office were gathered this afternoon at the south end of the lot on Northwest Louisiana Avenue.

The light green passenger car was parked at the far side of the lot and blocked off by police tape and a semi-circle of responders’ vehicles.

McNamara said they were working on finding out the identity of the person, he believed was a female. They had just secured a search warrant in order to get inside, he said.

The car has Washington license plates but the sergeant declined to say if police yet knew who the registered owner is.

It was just six weeks ago when the body of a 16-year-old boy from Camas was discovered in a Honda Accord parked in the lot of a shopping center just to the north of K-Mart, the Twin City Town Center. While the coroner is still waiting for the results of toxicology tests on Cole Burbank, authorities have said his death was not suspicious.

McNamara this afternoon said police don’t know yet if foul play might be involved in this death, but it’s customary to investigate as a suspicious death.

Detained in back of patrol car April 1, 2016. / photo from Lewis County Sheriff’s Office file

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Lewis County officials are contemplating a change in the law that would potentially offer one more chance for a 2-year-old pit bull terrier otherwise destined to be euthanized.

The tan and white dog was impounded last summer from its Winlock home, after it and its companion were accused of killing two neighbor goats and biting a pony’s face. Tank was declared a dangerous dog through a county administrative process and his owner didn’t follow through with meeting the stringent and costly requirements to continue to keep such a pet.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer earlier this month informed the Board of County Commissioners he learned that instead of putting the dog down, the Lewis County Animal Shelter changed its name to Hank and adopted him to a new family, without disclosing his pertinent background.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office investigated and retrieved Hank from his new home. Meyer said he would ask an outside prosecutor to investigate the actions of two county employees.

There is no provision under the county code to declassify a dangerous dog, according to Meyer.

But yesterday, the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office presented to the county commissioners a draft amendment to the code which would, if passed, allow any person claiming an interest in an animal designated as dangerous to seek an order from Lewis County District Court to erase the label of dangerous.

Currently the owner of a dog deemed dangerous may have an administrative hearing to dispute the claim and can appeal that to a hearings officer, according to Lewis County Civil Deputy Prosecutor David Fine.

“This amendment gives a third option,” Fine said.

As written, the rules indicate the court would evaluate the animal, using the same criteria as the administrative procedure has already used.

But the judge would be able to take into consideration new evidence including present behavior, character and disposition of the animal, according to Fine.

The rural Centralia woman who adopted Hank in January is pleased to hear there’s a possible reprieve for the dog she brought into her family.

“We’ve done everything right,” Jann Propp-Estimo said yesterday afternoon. “All I want is Hank back.”

Propp-Estimo said they visited the Lewis County Animal Shelter to find a companion for their dog Bruce. She had Hank microchipped before leaving the shelter, got him his rabies shots and made sure he got a physical, she said.

Soon it became apparent Bruce didn’t care for the newcomer.

Her grown son and 9-year-old grandson live in town, but have dinner at Propp-Estimo’s home daily, and were happy to move Hank into their household, she said. She hired a contractor to build a new fence for their Centralia yard.

“We loved that dog, he was the best dog,” she said. “He stole our hearts.”

On May 9, a Lewis County sheriff’s deputy visited the family, explained there was a legal issue and Hank should not have been adopted out, according to the deputy’s report. The pit bull terrier was returned to the animal shelter.

The investigative report into how it came about that the shelter adopted out a dog designated as dangerous indicates what Prosecutor Meyer has already said.

There was a feeling the dog wasn’t really dangerous and Shelter Manager Amy Hanson reached out to an animal group to see if they could find a suitable owner.

Hanson noted in emails and interviews staff saw no signs of aggression to people, other dogs, cats or even kittens.

“This dog is truly something special! Never jumps up on you, will sit politely when asked, shakes hands and loves his stuffed toys. You know how dogs can get when they have been in the shelter setting for even a few days, well Tank completely continues to be a polite sweet dog at all times,” Hanson wrote.

Lewis County Civil Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg, who is among the county’s civil lawyers who advise county departments, was asked by the humane officer, the health department and the shelter what the options were for the dog under county code and was researching potential changes to the code.

He went on family leave, returned to work and went on leave again, and then once he learned the dog had been adopted out, notified his supervisor, according to Eisenberg and the deputy’s report.

Lewis County Board of County Commissioners Chair Gary Stamper said yesterday, after commissioners were presented with the draft amendment to the code, the change potentially could save Hank.

“It still doesn’t solve everything, but it moves it to the next level,” Stamper said.

The item titled,”Judicial removal of dangerous animal designation” will appear on the commissioner’s Monday morning meeting agenda. A public hearing will be set to discuss the matter.

Propp-Estimo said she has hired Bellingham animal lawyer Adam Karp, and has already reached out to the dog’s first owner and even the owner of the goats to learn more about the issue with livestock.

He was just a year old when that happened, and some blame his mother, a pit bull terrier named Sadie who was said to have been moved to another state, for instigating the attack, she said.

“Poor Hank, got left hanging out to dry,” she said.
•••

For background, read “Prosecutor: Lewis County employees broke rules regarding seized dog” from Thursday May 18, 2017, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 54-year-old man who had a silver badge pinned to his vest and a can of pepper spray in his pocket when he was arrested at the end of long police pursuit on U.S. Highway 12 yesterday is being investigated for possible criminal impersonation.

James P. Sauter, of rural Chehalis, was finally caught when he turned his truck into a field and got it stuck on a log about 21 miles east of White Pass, according to authorities.

It began just before 1:30 p.m. when troopers were notified of a possible hit and run involving a white Dodge pickup truck with emergency lights installed in its grill.

Callers reported the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed and forcing other drivers to pull off the road and when law enforcement began to follow it near Morton, the truck continued east in excess of 100 mph, according to court documents.

Troopers report the truck passed other vehicles using the oncoming lane, on the right shoulder and on blind corners until they eventually lost sight of it, only to get reports later it had a vehicle pulled over on the shoulder east of Packwood.

The driver allegedly activated his grill lights during the pursuit.

Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead writes in charging documents the hit and run allegation and the possible impersonation continue to be investigated.

The badge turned out to be a Centralia Fire Department badge, according to Halstead.

Sauter was charged today with one count of felony eluding in Lewis County Superior Court. Bail was set at $10,000.

He was just brought before a judge on Monday for possession of a controlled substance after police located pills on Sauter for which he allegedly did not have a prescription, when he was arrested three days earlier after an incident in downtown Chehalis allegedly trying to get inside a woman’s vehicle. He had been arrested and then released by Centralia police earlier that morning for allegedly aiming a laser pointer at passing motorists.

On Monday, Sauter’s bail was set with a $10,000 signature bond and he conveyed to the judge he would be able to produce the prescription bottle for the pills. A judge today revoked his bail in that case.
•••

For background, read “Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup – UNRULY PERSON” from Monday May 22, 2017, here

Scott E. Ridgley, left, is represented by defense attorney Kevin Nelson during a bail hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – After twice sending a police informant to buy drugs from an Onalaska man, local drug detectives served search warrants at his home, arresting him and four others and seizing methamphetamine, heroin, psilocybin mushrooms, more than a pound of marijuana and at least $6,900 cash.

Scott E. Ridgley, 56, was charged yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court with multiple felonies, including unlawful use of a building for drug purposes.

It was just over a year ago members of the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted a similar operation with similar results at Ridgley’s property on the 500 block of Gish Road, although that day they confiscated about $20,000, according to authorities. He was out on bail pending trial in that case.

On Tuesday, JNET was accompanied by at least one member of the U.S. Marshals Service and arrested Ridgley along with his 39-year-old son Larry E. Ridgley who was wanted on a felony drug warrant.

Also arrested was a roommate Stephen D. Cobb, 45, who was charged yesterday with possession of meth and heroin.

Not booked into jail but referred for charges were David E. McAbee, 29, of Onalaska, possession of meth and Tracy A. Dona, 43, Onalaska, possession of meth and destruction of evidence, according to a press release from JNET forwarded by the Centralia Police Department.

Judge Andrew Toynbee set Scott Ridgley’s bail at $50,000 yesterday afternoon.

Charging documents state a confidential informant contacted one of the detectives between March 1 and Tuesday about being able to purchase meth from the senior Ridgley, and did so twice during the same period.

Once at the property, detectives found a black case near Scott Ridgley in a shop building, containing about two and a half ounces of methamphetamine, a digital scale and the cash, according to charging documents.

They found pipes with residue, a rifle with a missing stock and a 22 caliber pistol, the documents relate.

Scott Ridgley was charged with two counts of delivery of meth, one count of possession of meth with intent to deliver, possession of meth, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a building for drug purposes.

He has prior convictions from 2012 for delivery of a controlled substance.
•••

For background, read “Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup – LOTS OF DRUGS” from Tuesday May 3, 2016, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer says a dog deemed dangerous by the county and impounded to the animal shelter which ought to have been euthanized was instead adopted out to a family who weren’t told of its background.

“His name was changed, the true nature of the dog was hidden and he was adopted out,” Meyer said. “There was a feeling it wasn’t really dangerous.”

The prosecutor was summarizing the sequence of events to the Lewis County Board of Commissioners earlier this week and advised he planned to ask an outside prosecutor to look into the actions of two county employees. He did not name the employees.

He noted there is no provision under the law to declassify a dangerous dog.

Meyer said he asked the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office to investigate. That took place last week, according to sheriff’s Chief Deputy Dusty Breen.

The canine was brought to the shelter last July 1 after it and another dog were accused of killing a goat, according to Meyer.

It’s name was Tank and then changed to Hank, and he thought it may have been a pit bull but didn’t know for sure. The dog was adopted out in January. The new owner had given the animal to her grown son and 9-year-old grandson, and they had it for a significant amount of time, Meyer said.

The new owner wanted to keep the dog or be paid for their investment in a fence and the cost of a child’s broken heart, he said. He said they submitted a bill for $3,000.

“They were told they could not keep it and voluntarily relinquished it to the county,” Meyer said.

The meeting on Tuesday was attended by Lewis County Animal Shelter Manager Amy Hanson, her boss Director of Public Health and Social Services Danette York and other personnel with the prosecutor’s office.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg, who is among the county’s civil lawyers who advise county departments, told commissioners he was aware of the situation and was asked in September by the humane officer, the health department and the shelter what the options were for the dog under county code.

He began working on researching the law, he said, but went on family leave, returned to work and went on leave again, he said.

“I didn’t check back with the health department until recently,” Eisenberg said.

The county’s dangerous dog rules are imposed through a process that begins with an incident report from the sheriff’s office, which is forwarded to the county humane officer at Public Health and Social Services. If it’s determined the animal meets the criteria, the owner is served with a declaration their dog is dangerous and given a date for a hearing, which York oversees.

The only way for an owner to be allowed to keep a dangerous dog is to meet costly criteria such as a secure enclosure and extra insurance, Lewis County Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Carter said.

Meyer reiterated there is no provision declassify this dog and advised commissioners if it bit someone, the county could likely be liable.

At the same time, he hinted there was reason to think this particular dog was wrongly labeled and fell through the cracks.

“In the future, I would hope there would be a more careful analysis of the facts and the dog, before it’s declared dangerous,” he said.