Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Someone broke into the blue mail drop bins outside the post offices in Centralia and Galvin over the weekend, and apparently Rochester was hit as well.

Centralia police this afternoon issued a news release saying mail that was stolen has been found near the intersection of Yew and Main streets in Centralia and they are investigating.

There’s no way to know how many pieces of outgoing mail were taken or how much could still be missing, according to Postmaster Jade Nevitt.

“All we know is someone pried open the blue boxes in Centralia and Galvin,” Nevitt said this afternoon.

Nevitt said postal workers last collected the mail on Saturday afternoon. They don’t empty the bins on Sundays, he said.

Centralia police were called about 7 a.m. today regarding the damage to the drop box beside the building at the 200 block of Centralia College Boulevard. An employee at the Galvin office reported her discovery this morning as well.

By 11 a.m., about two dozen pieces were found scattered near the sidewalk at Yew and Main, mostly ballots for the Centralia School District levy, according to Officer John Panco. The items were taken back to the post office, he said.

Police advise anyone who believes their mail was taken to contact the postmaster, and anyone with questions about their ballot should contact the county auditor.

Nevitt, who is in charge of both Galvin and Centralia, said the stolen mail that was brought to them will be mailed back to the sender, along with a letter explaining what they know and what the victim needs to do to protect against possible identity theft.

Only the sender will know if everything they put in the envelope is still there, he said.

Anyone who thinks they may be a victim, should visit the post office to pick up a form they’ll need to forward to the postal service, according to Nevitt.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Law enforcement officers this week will be riding school buses to watch for law breakers who endanger children by passing buses when they are not supposed to.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office announced this morning the project in which it will work with the Washington State Patrol and two un-named school districts.

The emphasis on stop paddle violators will include an officer observing traffic and then radioing out to other officers who can pull over and cite offending motorists, according to the sheriff’s office.

The fine for passing a school bus when its red stop sign paddle is flipped out and activated is $394.

Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown indicated they’re keeping under wraps which districts are involved, as a way to motivate motorists everywhere in the county to be more cautious.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield said his office has a zero tolerance policy regarding the important issue that protects youngsters.

“There is no more important responsibility society has than to keep our children safe,” Mansfield stated in a news release.

Updated

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An ultralight aircraft crashed at the Chehalis-Centralia Airport this afternoon with no serious injuries to the pilot.

Chehalis Firefighter Kevin Reynolds said the man took off and came down to land right away because something wasn’t right, and it didn’t end well.

“He walked away from it with minor cuts and bruises,” Reynolds said. “He’ll probably be sore tomorrow.”

Members of the Chehalis Fire Department called about 3:15 p.m. to the scene just west of Interstate 5 bandaged up the pilot’s hand and helped him roll the ultralight off the runway, according to Reynolds.

He was wearing safety gear and didn’t go the hospital, he said.

It was a two-seater, fixed wing machine whose home airport was elsewhere, but Reynolds wasn’t sure where.

Police report the 70-year-old man from Rainier, Ore. was flying a 2008 Aero and the Federal Aviation Administration would be investigating.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The 70-year-old man who was killed in a car wreck on Tuesday morning in Vader died from his injuries, a death that is ruled accidental following an autopsy.

Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod said that still doesn’t explain why Richard T. Brunaugh missed a stop sign and slammed into a concrete wall across from the south end of Winlock-Vader Road.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office which investigated the wreck said his vehicle was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed and crossed state Route 506 for unknown reasons.

Brunaugh died upon impact and was ejected, according to authorities. He’s from Cottage Grove, Ore.

His cocker spaniel that was traveling with him survived initially, but with severe spinal injuries. The Lewis County Animal Shelter was planning to euthanize the dog on Wednesday after consultation between a local veterinarian and Brunaugh’s former wife who previously co-owned the pet.

McLeod said the pathologist will be conducting further studies to see if there were any contributing factors that led to the accident.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Chehalis truck driver was uninjured but his semi was towed after a passenger vehicle ran into it this morning on Highway 101 in Grays Harbor County.

Troopers called just after 8 a.m. to milepost 77 near Cosmopolis report a Chevrolet Blazer driven by a 35-year-old Aberdeen woman was totaled after she lost control on a curve, struck a concrete barrier and then collided with the side of the tractor trailer.

Kimberly A. Fleury was injured and transported to the hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Karl R. Schaffer, 55, of Chehalis, was unhurt, but his rig sustained what the state patrol described as reportable damage.

The roadway was fully blocked for about 35 minutes, according to the state patrol.