Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Lewis County PUD is still getting calls this morning of power outages around the county.

Spokesperson Corenne Moses said customers have been losing power since 9 a.m. yesterday when the high winds began.

At one point last night they lost a main feeder that cut off electricity to residents from Silver Creek to Glenoma, but that has been restored, Moses said.

High winds have knocked trees onto roadways through the night, causing closures including on U.S. Highway 12 and state Route 508, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The utility is posting information on the homepage of its website about where electricity has been cut off. Check here at Lewis County PUD

Updated

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 73-year-old pedestrian was hit by a vehicle as he crossed Southwest Interstate Avenue in Chehalis early this morning.

Police and firefighters were called to the area across from Subway just south of the Interstate 5 interchange at 13th Street.

“I know we were called at 6 a.m. to Interstate Avenue where a gentleman was crossing the road and was hit by a car,” Chehalis Police Department detective Sgt. Gary WIlson said.

Officers are still investigating, he said.

Chehalis Fire Department Capt. Casey Beck said their patient was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital with what appeared to be injuries to his head and neck as well as a broken leg.

“They were talking about shipping him to Harborview,” Beck said.

Wilson described the Chevrolet HHR as a sport utility-type vehicle, Beck said the car’s windshield was completely spider-webbed.

The 73-year-old resides in the area, according to Wilson.

U.S. Highway 12 at Ethel is closed for hours as troopers investigate two-vehicle crash. / Courtesy photo by Washington State Patrol.

Updated at 1:04 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 16-year-old Onalaska boy was injured and airlifted to a Seattle hospital after a collision with an oncoming semi truck on U.S. Highway 12 west of Ethel yesterday.

Troopers called at 4:15 p.m. to the scene near milepost 70 described both vehicles as totaled.

The driver of the 2012 Volvo semi with a tent trailer was reportedly unhurt.

According to the Washington State Patrol, the teen was traveling westbound and moved into the opposite lane as he attempted a pass in a no-passing zone. He lost control of his 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe, spun around and was struck by the semi in the eastbound lane, according to the state patrol.

A dozen members of Lewis County Fire Districts 5 and 8 responded to the area near Joy Lane, at the top of what some people call Ethel Hill.

Ines D. Lopez, 37, from Granger, was wearing his seatbelt, as was the un-named 16-year-old, the investigating trooper reports.

“We transported him for potential internal injuries,” District 5 Firefighter Brad Bozarth said of the teen. “He was in and out of consciousness.”

The boy was taken by ambulance to the Chehalis-Centralia Airport and  flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The wreck remains under investigation.

The roadway was closed and a detour put into place until about 10 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 36-year-old Chehalis man who allegedly tried to take someone else’s baby at the emergency room at Providence Centralia Hospital last week won’t be charged with attempted kidnapping but may face a lesser charge for the incident.

William M. Eaton was out-of-his-mind high and didn’t demonstrate any intent to actually abduct the six-month old girl so although police detained him for attempted kidnapping, prosecutors declined to file that charge, Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said.

Meagher said he sent the case to Centralia Municipal Court, where a prosecutor there might consider fourth-degree assault, an offense that includes unpermitted touching.

The little one was with her parents and still strapped in her car seat, when Eaton came into the ER about 8 p.m. last Wednesday and tried to take her out of the carseat, according to authorities. He got her blanket off, Meagher said. Hospital security personnel and a police officer who happened to be there for a different reason intervened.

Police said Eaton believed it was his child when he was questioned. Meagher suggested perhaps he was thinking, in his altered state, he ought to take her home or something.

He was not arrested and remained at the hospital being treated for unspecified reasons.

The alleged facts outlined in the police reports didn’t amount to a felony, but possibly a misdemeanor, according to Meagher.

Eaton is a Lewis County Drug Court participant, and has mental deficiencies, Meagher said. Drug use compounds that, he said.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

As the rainfall intensifies and a flood warning is issued for the Skokomish River in Mason County, Lewis County Sheriff Steve Mansfield suggests folks here prepare for the season now, ahead of any local events.

Historically, the flood season in Lewis County stretches from November until March, according to Mansfield.

While Lewis County is not in the anticipated impact area today, it’s a good time to review safety information, he says.

The sheriff urges members of the public to sign up now for the  Lewis County Emergency Notification system, CodeRED. Once registered, you would receive any emergency action notifications directly to your cell phone or home telephone, according to Mansfield.

He advises people who live near a flood plain to purchase flood insurance.

Because most deaths from floods come from driving or walking through floodwaters, the sheriff reminds drivers that just one foot of water can float most vehicles.

Mansfield is the director of the Lewis County Division of Emergency Management. Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown is the interim deputy director.

Mansfield says: If you live in an area where floods occur, you should know the following:

BEFORE A FLOOD
• Prepare your home, family, pets and livestock with at least a three to five day emergency supply kit, including medications and some cash. Information on what to include can be obtained from Lewis County Emergency Management at (360) 740-1151 or on the sheriff’s website at www.lewiscountywa.gov/sheriff
• Provide at least one plug-in-the wall telephone for emergency calls if the power is out.
• Plan for evacuation including what route you will take and when you should leave.
• Learn how to purify water. If you have a well, learn how to decontaminate it.
• Keep your car full of gas.
• Listen to your radio or television for reports of flood danger. Current Lewis County “River Readings” and “Road Closures” are posted on the county’s website at: www.lewiscountywa.gov
• Keep all insurance policies and a list of valuable items in a safe place.

DURING THE FLOOD
• Stay away from moving water. Do not walk or drive through flooded areas. Wash your hands frequently with soap and clean water if you come in contract with floodwater.
• Stay away from downed power lines
• Stay away from disaster areas unless authorities ask for volunteers.
• Continue to listen to your radio or television for reports of flood danger.
• Call 9-1-1 only in life threatening emergencies. Limit personal calls to keep the lines clear for emergency calls.

AFTER THE FLOOD
• Wear gloves and boots when cleaning up.
• Open all doors and windows. Use fans if possible to air out the building.
• Wash all clothes and linens in hot water.
• Discard mattresses and stuffed furniture; they can’t be adequately cleaned.
• Disinfect by wiping surfaces with a solution of one cup bleach per gallon of water. Wash dirt and mud from walls, counters and hard surface floors with soap and water.
• Discard all food that has come into contract with floodwater. Canned food is alright, but thoroughly wash the can before opening.
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Lewis County Sirens.com has two valuable links, always available on the right hand side bar, with the latest official information for your area from the National Weather Service.

• “Weather alerts, forecasts”: where you can check your particular location, and watch the coming weather, as well as see any weather-related alerts issued for your area

• “River levels”: where you can monitor a river in your area, and see how high it is rising and is expected to rise during rain events.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Searchers set out about 7:30 a.m. today to find two Tacoma men who failed to meet up with their companions when it got dark last night following a mushroom picking outing in the woods about ten miles east of Packwood.

The experienced mushroom hunters, ages 60 and 66, were located a little more than an hour later, cold and wet but in good spirits, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

“The men told deputies they used their backpack to start a fire to stay warm overnight,” Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said in a news release. “They had cold weather clothing and rain gear.”

The men said they said they got turned around and decided to follow the stream downhill, according to the sheriff’s office. They had picked in the same area numerous times, but the terrain is rugged, steep, and has a lot of streams, according to the sheriff’s office.

They were off Forest Service Road 4510 yesterday with three others but didn’t show up back at their vehicle as planned when it got dark, Brown stated. Their companions got worried and called 911 last night, Brown said.

It was about 8:45 a.m. today when they were discovered walking downstream, just a quarter mile from their vehicle, according to Brown.

Members of the sheriff’s office, Lewis County Search and Rescue and Lewis County ATV conducted this morning’s search.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield took the opportunity to remind the public how easy it can be for even experienced outdoorsmen to become disoriented and lost.

It is so important that anyone heading outdoors be prepared for an emergency, Mansfield stated.

“These men had matches, appropriate clothing, and were well prepared to deal with the elements,” Mansfield said. “Proper preparation can often determine whether an outcome is positive or tragic.”

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A former Salkum man arrested last month for allegedly possessing child porn was released from the jail yesterday, his charges dropped.

Joshua Q. Keele, 38, was arrested in early September near his home in Port Hadlock following a local investigation that began in April, with a tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detective collected computers and electronic devices and discovered at least one image that led to a charge of first-degree possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said the charge was dismissed yesterday, because there are reports from other agencies he has not yet received.

However, it was dismissed with prejudice, meaning he may file the charge again later, he said.

“We talked with the sheriff’s office and the FBI and we all agreed this was the best thing to do,” Meyer said.

Meyer said he expects later next week to get together with others to decide their next steps and when he would refile the charges.
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For background, read “FBI child porn investigation leads to Lewis County” from Friday Sept. 5, 2014, here