Lewis County Sirens.com

Smoke billows from single-story house near Oakville. / Courtesy photo by Grays Harbor Fire District 5

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Four fire departments battled a blaze that broke out yesterday outside of Oakville, destroying a single story home and its contents.

“No injuries, just an extremely broken up family,” Grays Harbor County Fire District 1 spokesperson Shawn Burdett said.

The fire at Southbank Road and Craftdale Road about four miles northwest of town was reported by a neighbor about 12:48 p.m., Burdett said.

It spread throughout the house rather quickly, he said.

The cause is not yet known, he said.

The department was assisted by Grays Harbor Fire District’s 5, 2, 12, West Thurston Regional Fire Authority and Riverside Fire Authority hauling water with a half dozen tenders.

“I just want to say we all are tremendously thankful to the other agencies,” Burdett said. “Without their help, this would have been much worse.”

Burdett said he hoped to have more information later to release.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The retired Chehalis logger accused of a starting a fire at the house where his ex-wife and best friend were sleeping is off to prison to serve a 14 month sentence.

James R. Johnson, 65, pleaded guilty yesterday to second-degree arson, second-degree burglary and first-degree malicious mischief, according to Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt also ordered Johnson to pay restitution.

Johnson was arrested in December following an investigation by police into the June 1 fire that heavily damaged the home on the 900 block of B Street in Centralia. Tamara Johnson and Clint Brown escaped without injury.

Investigators subsequently learned an accelerant had been used and there had been animosity between the parties. Authorities said a flashlight found at the scene carried DNA profile that matched Johnson’s.

When Johnson was first charged, his defense attorney said he and his ex-wife had reconciled, but Masiello said he was unable to reach her to talk with her about the sentencing.

After Johnson is released, he will be under the supervision, like probation, of the Department of Corrections for 18 months, Masiello said.
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For background, read “Flashlight at Centralia arson scene incriminates ex-husband” from Friday December 5, 2014, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The city of Centralia is inviting the public to come and meet the five finalists for the position of police chief.

The candidates come from as far away as Illinois and as close as the Hub City. Current police Cmdr. James Rich is among them.

The open house will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, at the Centralia train depot, according to the city’s human resources director, Candice Rydalch.

“It’s just an opportunity for people to see the people, ask questions if they want,” Rydalch said.

Centralia Police Department Chief Bob Berg is retiring in May, after 11 years as chief.

Rydalch said the nationwide search brought in 20 applicants.

The five individuals will be interviewed on Tuesday, she said.

She expects the city manager will then narrow it down to one or two of them and conduct background checks before making a final selection. An announcement could come a week or two after that, she said.

The evening gathering will take place in the conference room at the south end of the depot, at 210 Railroad Avenue.

The following are the finalists:

• Rod Baker, from Sammamish
• James Held, from Libertyville, Ill.
• Carl Nielsen, from Ripon, Calif.
• James Rich, from Centralia
• Maurice Richards, from Chicago, Ill.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The lawyer representing suspected bank robber Larry Gene Bailey told a judge today he needed to postpone his client’s trial, as he looks into a legal issue.

“There’s a legal issue, I need to basically interview the officers in the case,” defense attorney Chris Baum said today. “That would give us time to do the interviews and file the motion.”

Baum and Bailey were in Lewis County Superior Court  this morning for a scheduled brief review hearing.

Baum didn’t say what the issue was, only that he needed to speak with all the officers.

Bailey, 52, was arrested on the morning of Jan. 26, after ditching a BMX-style bicycle on the West Street overpass in Chehalis and trying to get away from a pursuing sheriff’s deputy through a barbed wire fence. Police found $36,000 cash in his backpack.

Chase Bank on South Market Boulevard had just been robbed about 45 minutes earlier.

When he was taken to Steck Medical Center to be treated for his injuries, Bailey allegedly told the nurse he had robbed a bank.

His trial was set for the week of March 23, but the court agreed today to move it to the week of May 18. Bailey has pleaded not guilty to first-degree robbery and possession of methamphetamine.

Prosecutors believe he has four previous convictions for bank robbery, in Kansas, Eastern Washington and Western Washington.
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For background, read “Chase bank robbery suspect facing possible third strike, pleads not guilty” from Thursday January 29, 2015, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Criminal charges have been filed against the co-owner of a Lewis County business who allegedly collected and kept at least $46,000 in sales tax.

Karina J. Rife, who is also accountant for the builder BK Rife Enterprises LLC, is accused of knowingly filing falsified tax returns from 2007 to 2013 to hide the company’s business activity from the state.

The Washington State Department of Revenue said in a news release today theft charges have been filed in Lewis County on its behalf.

The Department of Revenue collects retail sales sales tax and makes sure it is properly distributed to local and state government.

Agency spokesperson Kim Schmanke states Rife admitted the business used the money to pay its bills. The state agency says BK Rife Enterprises was also doing business without a valid business registration during that period, which is a felony. The registration had been revoked for unpaid taxes.

Retail sales tax is the largest source of state revenues, supporting vital services that benefit Washington’s residents and the economy, according to Schmanke.

Businesses that collect retail sales tax do so “in trust” for the state and must remit those taxes to Revenue by the due date of the tax return for the reporting period. Failure to remit the taxes constitutes theft, Schmanke states.

Rife has been summonsed to appear before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday afternoon.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Voters in the Onalaska and Toledo areas appear to overwhelmingly approve continuing their levies for emergency medical services for the fire departments.

Ballots tallied in yesterday’s special election show about 81 percent of those who voted in Lewis County Fire District 1, Onalaska, checked the “yes” box. That’s 525 people in favor compared with 122 opposed, according to the preliminary results from the Lewis County Auditor’s Office Election Department.

In Lewis County Fire District 2, Toledo, nearly 78 percent, or 755 people, voted yes compared with 214 voting no.

They only need 50 percent plus one vote to pass.

Elections Supervisor Mariann Zumbuhl estimates perhaps another 100 ballots will be counted before the vote-by-mail election is finalized.

More than 5,000 people cast ballots in the special election that also included money-raising measures in four school districts.

Each of the fire districts asked to continue for six years collecting property tax money for EMS programs at the same rate as the expiring levies.

For District 1, that is 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and for District 2, it is up to 50 cents per $1,000.