Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A worker at Jack-in-the-Box in Chehalis was robbed of a bank bag this morning and police have yet to find the thief.

Officers called about 9 a.m. to the 100 block of Interstate Avenue near the freeway learned the manager was out back when she was confronted by a man in his late 20s, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

“The dude stepped out from behind a bush, grabbed the bag and ran,” detective Sgt. Gary Wilson said.

The woman was unhurt, he said.

A track was conducted a with a police dog, but was unsuccessful, he said.

The man was wearing a dark hoodie and described only as a white male wearing a dark hoodie, according to Wilson. The bank deposit bag contained only about $300, according to police.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 19-year-old Silver Creek resident is listed in serious condition this afternoon following a wreck last night in which his Ford Bronco ran off state Route 508 and into a tree.

Troopers called about 8:30 p.m. to the scene approximately two miles west of Onalaska found the vehicle was totaled, according to the Washington State Patrol. Cody G. Birdwell was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and then transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with his injuries, according to the state patrol.

According to the investigating trooper, Birdwell was eastbound and traveling too fast when he lost control of his 1984 Bronco and served off the road. Defective tires contributed as well, according to the trooper.

Also yesterday, a 35-year-old Chehalis man was going too fast when he took the southbound Interstate 5 offramp at milepost 71 near Napavine, left the roadway to the right and came to rest in the ditch.

A trooper called about 10:50 p.m. reports Jared N. Collins was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital and then on to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. His GMC pickup was damaged and towed; Collins faces a charge of driving under the influence, according to the trooper.

And two women were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital following an approximately 5:15 p.m. wreck on the 400 block of Coal Creek Road in Chehalis. Firefighters responding to the scene found a van on its side, according to Lewis County Fire District 6.

One of the occupants was more seriously injured than the other, according to Firefighter Kyle Eiswald.
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CORRECTION: This news item has been updated to reflect the correct title for Firefighter Kyle Eiswald.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A powerful and damaging windstorm forecast for tonight is expected to make landfall much farther north but could bring gusts of up to 55 mph to the areas around Centralia and Olympia.

Also, several inches of rain are expected to drive the Newaukum River in Lewis County and the Skokomish River in Mason County above flood stage tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

The wind advisory and flood warning were issued around noon today. This is round two of weekend bad weather.

Winds in the local area could blow 20 to 35 mph, with the strongest expected this evening, according to the weather service.

Minor flooding is predicted with many roads and areas around the Newaukum and its forks to become inundated with water. The Newaukum River should crest about 11 a.m. tomorrow, about one foot above flood stage, according to the forecasters.

A flood watch was put into place through tomorrow morning for the lower Chehalis River in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties.

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Follow the river levels and weather alerts with links on the right hand sidebar of this page.

Also, watch for up-to-the-minute reports from your neighbors around greater Lewis County on Lewis County Siren’s Facebook page.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 35-year-old woman was arrested yesterday for allegedly attempting to steal a police car in the parking lot at the King Oscar Motel in Centralia.

Officers were called about 3:30 p.m. to the 1000 block of Eckerson Road when an individual reported witnessing a woman get assaulted. The suspect was gone and when police tried to talk with the apparent victim, she wouldn’t respond and kept walking away, but then suddenly ran and jumped into the front seat of one of the police cruisers, according to the Centralia Police Department.

The key was in the ignition and the car was running, according to police.

Sgt. Stacy Denham said an officer climbed in with her and when the woman put the car in reverse, he threw it into park. They struggled. She put it in drive and he shoved it back into park, Denham said.

The entire time, she was screaming, kicking, scratching and not responding to questions or commands, Denham said. It appeared she was high on some type of drugs, he said.

“She was almost crazed,” he said.

Officers dragged her out of the vehicle and arrested her for third-degree assault and attempted vehicle theft, according to Denham. One officer was reportedly left with several scratches on his hands and arms.

Malynda M. Murphy was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

Denham said this morning police are still trying to locate the assault suspect, but don’t have much information from Murphy about what may have occurred.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Chehalis woman who operated halfway houses in Lewis County and was arrested earlier this year for alleged prescription drug dealing is now facing new criminal charges for allegedly receiving workers compensation benefits and working at the same time.

Judy Chafin-Williams, 61, collected more than $90,000 since the autumn of 2006 following an on-the-job injury while she was a caregiver at Tiffin House in Centralia, according to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

According to charging documents, she submitted dozens of claims stating she could not work because of the injury. However, Chafin-Williams was working when she operated the House of the Rising Son and other homes for released prisoners and homeless persons, according to L and I.

Chafin-Williams received notice of the new charges on Thursday when she appeared in Lewis County Superior Court in connection with her ongoing case. She was charged with 30 counts of forgery and one count of first-degree theft.

The charges result from an investigation conducted by Labor and Industries.

Last year, the city of Chehalis and Lewis County began filing zoning and health code complaints against her facilities and none are believed to be currently in operation.

She remains free while the new case is pending.