Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Jeannette Dunivan-Spain died from a very bad infection due to burns she suffered in the house fire in Vader.

Dunivan-Spain, 39, was taken off life support at St. John Medical Center in Longview last Friday, eight days after she was injured in the fire.

721 C Street, Vader

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but she told deputies she had been using a candle for light in her friend’s house which had no electricity or running water. She told her mother her blanket caught on fire.

It happened very early in the morning of Aug. 15; the one and half story house on C Street was a total loss.

She was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital where she was treated and released. The following day, she was taken to the Longview hospital, treated further and released again. Dunivan-Spain went to the hospital a third time when her condition worsened.

Lewis County Coroner’s Office Chief Deputy Coroner Dawn Harris said yesterday an autopsy revealed the cause of death was a very bad staph infection she’d had for days, because of second-degree burns to her face and upper extremities.

It was merhicillin resistant staphyococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, Harris said.

Cowlitz County Coroner Tim Davidson said the hospital requested a clinical autopsy, as the physician wanted more definition on what the patient was suffering from. Because of the law enforcement investigation into the house fire, a forensic autopsy was in order as well and it just made more sense for all to it to be handled by Lewis County, he said.

A memorial service for Dunivan-Spain will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 122 Henriott Road, Toledo
•••

For background, read:

• “Vader burn victim dies, investigation underway” from Wednesday August 28, 2013, here

• “Vader house fire injures one” from Thursday August 15, 2013, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The feds announced this morning essentially they won’t get involved in newly legalized recreational marijuana for adults in Washington as long as the state is appropriately strict in regulating it.

Marijuana is illegal under federal law, but voters in November passed Initiative 502 that allows for persons over 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana.

The U.S. Department of Justice today announced an update to its federal marijuana enforcement policy. Jenny A. Durkan, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, shared a statement.

“Based on assurances that Washington and Colorado will impose an appropriately strict regulatory system, the Department has informed the governors of both states that it is deferring its right to challenge their legalization laws at this time.”

Seattlepi.com reports federal authorities will however step in under certain conditions such as selling to minors, illegally using firearms in its cultivation or retail sale, growing it on federal lands or if evidence arises money from it is going to criminal enterprises or its being shipped out of state.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds members of the public it remains against federal law to bring any amount of marijuana onto federal property, including all federal buildings, federal lands including national parks and forests, military installations, and courthouses. Individuals that do so will be subject to federal penalties.

Read more here

Interstate 5 near the exit 88 interchange. / Courtesy photo by West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A tanker truck carrying lubricating oil wrecked this morning on northbound Interstate 5 at Grand Mound.

Troopers and aid called just before 8 o’clock found the truck laying on its side on the shoulder; the driver sustained only minor injuries, according to West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

Nothing spilled, the tank was not compromised, according to responders.

One lane will be blocked for an extended period of time as the tank is pumped, according to the Washington State Patrol

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Drivers on Interstate 5 and Chamber of Commerce Way in Chehalis will notice changes to their trips beginning today as work to replace a damaged bridge girder gets underway.

During construction, motorists will encounter single-lane closures between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays and at least four overnight full closures of northbound I-5 and the bridge will take place, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The $682,000 project comes after three over-height loads on trucks struck the Chamber Way overpass during the previous year, according to a news release from DOT.

Later this summer, neither pedestrians nor wide loads will be able to cross the bridge for roughly six weeks. Construction is expected to be complete this fall.

Get updates and details about the project here.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Authorities are keeping a eye on a forest fire in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, smoke from which has been visible in the Randle and Packwood areas.

It’s estimated to be less than 10 acres, burning in extremely steep and rugged terrain, according to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Dubbed the Coal Creek Mountain Fire, the blaze was started by a lightening strike and discovered on Wednesday, according to forest spokesperson Sharon Steriti.

There are no road or trail closures at this time.

Helicopters from the Conrad Lake Fire – also in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, but on the east side of the mountains in the Wenatchee National Forest – were initially used to suppress the latest wildfire, Steriti said.

“With all the fire activity around the country, we understand our communities’ concerns and will continue to keep the public informed on this and future fires,” Garth Smelser, a deputy forest supervisor, stated in a news release yesterday evening.” As always, our number one priority remains the safety of our firefighters and public”

The Conrad Lake Fire just eight miles south of Rimrock Lake began on Aug. 9 from lightening and has burned nearly 1,000 acres.

Meanwhile, some of the local firefighters dispatched Wednesday to assist fighting a forest fire near Leavenworth are on their way home.

“Our guys are on their way back,” Thurston County Fire District 12’s Tina Vanderhoof said this morning. “I guess they got rain last night.”

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Morton woman’s conviction for insurance fraud has been reversed by the Washington State Supreme Court.

In its seven to two decision filed today, the high court told Lewis County Superior Court to dismiss Jennifer M. Mau’s felony conviction.

Mau, then 30, and her boyfriend David Eden, then 47, were found guilty in September 2010 of making a false insurance claim involving a U-Haul trailer they said leaked and damaged their belongings during a move from Centralia to Morton three years earlier.

Her attorney argued her list of losses was not made under a contract of insurance. Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud agreed, writing prosecutors failed to prove the existence of any contract of insurance.

Mau, a student of criminal justice, operates a private organization which looks for missing children, called Search and Seek. Her most high profile case was in the summer of 2010 when volunteers she led eventually found the body of missing 16-year-old Morton boy Austin King with the help of a Portland psychic.

She shared a prepared statement today on the outcome of her case.

“The Supreme Court has reaffirmed what I have said all along; I have always maintained my innocence,.” Mau wrote. “Now I can put this behind me and live my life.”

Mau had purchased optional cargo insurance, but was then told it did not cover water damage and Republic Western Insurance – a subsidiary of U-Haul – opened a general liability claim on her behalf, according to the 16-page filing made today.

The claims administrator found her list totaling approximately $16,000 suspicious and the claim was denied.

Mau testified at trial it was her understanding it was a preliminary list of items that potentially could have been damaged.

Justices Steven C. Gonzalez and Debra L. Stephens dissented.

•••

Read the decision here

Updated at 1:10 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Deputies are looking for the driver of a Sport Utility Vehicle who fled on foot from the scene of a serious injury accident last night in Chehalis.

Firefighters and police called about 7:15 p.m. to the intersection of Bishop and Maurin roads found an eastbound Chevrolet Tahoe had run a red light and struck the side of a southbound Nissan Altima.

Responders had to use the Jaws of Life on the smaller car to extricate the passenger.

“She was the one we Life Flighted from Chehalis Middle School,” Lewis County Fire District 6 Firefighter Mike Goodwillie said. “(Her injuries) were serious enough, we wanted the helicopter as close as possible.”

The 24-year-old woman from Tacoma was going to be flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, but was taken instead to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, according to responders.

The car’s driver, a 19-year-old woman from Chehalis, was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital with less serious injuries, according to Goodwillie.

Troopers, deputies and police from Chehalis and Centralia searched the area and later located a passenger from the SUV, a 21-year-old man from Kent.

He was taken into custody by Chehalis police for a warrants and cited for  third-degree theft in connection with an iPhone stolen from Radio Shack at the Twin City Town Center which occurred just before 7:10 p.m.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Rob Snaza said the SUV’s driver is believed to be a 20-year-old Tacoma man who was driving with a suspended license.