Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralians can hang out at city hall to stay cool during business hours during the last three days of the work week when temperatures outside could go over 100 degrees.

Water will be provided at the Centralia city-sponsored cooling station.

Centralia Police Department detective Patty Finch issued a press release this morning advising the forecast is for between 96 and 105 degrees.

It is very important to stay cool, Finch states. She advises:

• Stay in an air-conditioned, indoor location as much as possible.
• Drink plenty of fluids even if you don’t feel thirsty; water is best.
• Schedule outdoor activities carefully – wear lightweight clothing and sunscreen.
• Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
• Never leave children or pets in cars.

Centralia City Hall is at 118 W. Maple St. at the corner of North Pearl and Maple streets.

The doors will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

An excessive heat warning is in place for Lewis and surrounding counties through Friday, with the potential for the highest temperatures on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

The forecast for Centralia and Chehalis is 93 degrees today.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The motorist whose pickup truck was struck by the steam train has passed away, almost two weeks after the collision in Adna, according to the Washington State Patrol.

July 15, 2017

Jerrry W. Mullins, 82, from Curtis, died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on today’s date, according to the state patrol.

Mullins had been traveling on state Route 6 near Twin Oaks Road on the evening of July 15 when the collision occurred. The state patrol stated at the time he didn’t see warning lights that a train was approaching.

He was conscious and alert when he was freed from the wreckage, according to responders. Mullins was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and then transferred to Harborview.

The Washington State Patrol initially incorrectly reported his first name to the news media.
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For background, read “Chehalis steam train strikes Curtis man’s pickup” from Sunday July 16, 2017, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two Centralia structure fires that were extinguished simultaneously during the night are under investigation, according to authorities.

The first was a shop building on the 3000 block of Graf Road which responders report was intentionally set afire and the other a vacant residence in Galvin.

No injuries have been reported.

Riverside Fire Authority reports it was 2:57 a.m. when they were dispatched to Graf Road where they found a shop building which had been burning for some time unnoticed.

The roof on the approximately 25-foot by 25-foot shop had already collapsed and flames had spread to light brush, according to Riverside Fire Authority. They were able to contain the fire from spreading further, according to Fire Capt. Erik Olson.

The specific cause is undetermined but it is suspicious, according to Olson.

While enroute, at 3:08 a.m., the fire department was called to the 100 block of Sheridan Street in Galvin where arriving units found a home fully involved in fire, Capt. Tim Adolphsen stated in a press release.

They were joined by three other fire departments, according to Adolphsen. It had been vacant for some time and was a complete loss, he stated.

County records show the one and a half story house built in 1920 has an assessed value of $87,000.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office responded to both fires.

Airlift responds directly to the scene at West Main and Iron streets. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 77-year-old woman was seriously injured when she was walking in a cross walk and was struck by a passenger vehicle in Centralia last night.

Police and firefighters were called to the intersection of West Main Street at Iron Street just before 8:30 p.m.

Centralia Police Department Sgt. Kurt Reichert said the driver of the vehicle, a Centralia man in his late 60s, indicated the sun was in his eyes. He had been headed westbound, Reichert said.

A medical helicopter responded to the scene and flew the Centralia woman to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to authorities. Riverside Fire Authority described her condition as serious.

The Washington State Patrol is investigating.

Audi SUV submerged west of bridge. / Image derived from Lewis County map library

Updated at 11:57 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A Mossyrock woman and the driver of the car in which she was a passenger are dead after the vehicle drove into Mayfield Lake last night.

Troopers called to the scene at 8:25 p.m. report the sport utility vehicle had been traveling eastbound on U.S. Highway 12 when it left the road to the right and ended up fully submerged in the water.

The cause of the wreck is under investigation, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office has notified the next-of-kin for Lorraine J. Sprague, 60, and 44-year-old Eric T. Sprague of Olympia.

The 2013 AUDI Q7 sport utility vehicle was to be recovered during daylight hours today, according to the state patrol.

It happened near milepost 82, about four miles west of Mossyrock.

Lewis County Fire District 8 Chief Duran McDaniel said it appeared the car left the highway well west of the west end of the bridge, passing on the outside of the start of a guardrail and sheering off several alder trees before landing as far as 50 feet from the shoreline.

“This was witnessed by boaters,” McDaniel said.

More than a dozen personnel from his district and Lewis County Fire District 3 responded, he said.

Members of the sheriff’s office swift water rescue team commandeered some boats and retrieved the pair, with life-saving efforts continuing at Mayfield Lake Park, according to the chief.

McDaniel said the last similar incident he could recall on the bridge was at the east end, back in 1977 when a vehicle drove through the guard rail.

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CORRECTION: This news item has been updated to reflect the correct age of the passenger.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Three out of the four vehicles were totaled, two people were hurt and the alleged causing driver ran away on foot from the scene yesterday afternoon on Interstate 5 in Chehalis.

Troopers called about 4:50 p.m. to the northbound lanes near milepost 77 report that the man initially behind the wheel of the blue Chevrolet pickup was later located blocks away at Northwest Division Street and Hawthorne Place.

Darren D. Cochran, 48, of Rochester, was arrested for third-degree driving with a suspended license, possession of a controlled substance and felony and hit and run, according to the Washington State Patrol. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

According to the investigating trooper, traffic had slowed but Cochran did not and his truck struck the rear of a Nissan Altima, shoving it into a Ford Windstar which was pushed into a Buick LeSabre. Only the LeSabre was able to be driven away from the collision, according to the state patrol.

Injured were a 40-year-old woman from Tumwater and a juvenile, according to the state patrol. Both were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital.

The cause of the multiple vehicle wreck was following too closely, according to the investigating trooper.

Trooper Will Finn tweeted just before 6 p.m. all were lanes were opened and the injuries were minor.