Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Centralia mother was arrested this afternoon for not only growing marijuana but also for allowing her small child to smoke it from a bong, according to police.

The little boy, who is just shy of 2 years old, and his 5-year-old brother were taken into the custody of Child Protective Services, according to police.

Members of the Centralia Police Department Anti Crime Team were tipped off they might find marijuana plants at the home on the 1400 block of Delaware Avenue in north Centralia and served a search warrant about 2:25 p.m. today, according to Officer John Panco.

Inside the house, they discovered 40 plants, which they seized, along with firearms, according to police.

While there, officers were informed Rachelle L. Braaten, 24, had been allowing the little one to literally inhale marijuana out of a bong, Panco said.

Braaten and Tyler J. Lee, 25, were arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for manufacture of marijuana, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Braaten was additionally booked for delivery of a controlled substance to a minor. Lee was additionally booked for three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Has anyone you know told of receiving a call telling them a beloved relative is jailed and desperately needs bail money, or that they’ve gotten an email notifying them they’ve won a foreign lottery?

Today’s scammers prey upon people’s desires for love, money or good luck with clever schemes in which only the fraudster wins, and a new web page from the state Attorney General’s Office dedicated to educating the public about their latest strategies can be found here.

The site highlights nine common scams and offers ways consumers can protect themselves, according to a recent news release from new Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office.

Pickup truck at 19100 block of Old Highway 99 near Nutmeg Street. / Courtesy photo by Washington State Patrol.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The 19-year-old Rochester man rescued yesterday from beneath his wrecked truck in Grand Mound is listed in serious condition this morning.

Brett A. Tardif was traveling northbound on Old Highway 99 when his Ford pickup left the roadway, struck a power pole and rolled over, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Arriving firefighters found him pinned under the pickup.

He was picked up by a helicopter at South Sound Speedway and flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

A hospital spokesperson this morning said he is currently in the intensive care unit.

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For background, see “Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup – WRECK IN GRAND MOUND INJURES ONE” from Thursday March 7, 2013, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Whether the victim of a stabbing who allegedly initiated a fight using brass knuckles last month outside a Chehalis bar will face criminal charges for her role remains to be seen.

Ashley Stewart, 22, suffered numerous knife wounds at the hands of now-24-year-old Lena A. Castillo.

Castillo pleaded guilty last week in Lewis County Superior Court to second-degree assault, following a deal in which prosecutors said she had a self defense claim. She was sentenced to six months in jail.

Prosecutors said Stewart started the short brawl, approaching Castillo and striking her twice outside Garbe’s bar on Northwest Chehalis Avenue. She admitted she used a pair of brass knuckles, Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said when Castillo was sentenced.

Brass knuckles are illegal to possess.

Halstead said possession is a misdemeanor but assault with a dangerous weapon could be second-degree assault as well.

Prosecutors are looking into it, Halstead said.

“Now that that case is over, we just have to look at other angles,” he said.

Chehalis police called it mutual combat after they were called on Jan. 12 to the scene and arrested Castillo.

Authorities said the disagreement was related to a male the Centralia women both previously had a relationship with.
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For background, read “No trial for Chehalis bar fight that included knife, brass knuckles, two women” from Wednesday February 27, 2013, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Instead of a trial as expected this week for the former director of the Lewis County Historical Museum arrested after the discovery the endowment fund of more than $460,000 was drained, attorneys are attempting to work out a plea deal.

“We’re hoping we can resolve it by Thursday,” Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said today.

Deborah Sue Knapp, 53, was charged with multiple counts of first-degree theft in December 2011.

Prosecutors alleged Knapp routinely issued herself extra pay through payroll draws and used the museum debit card for personal expenses.

She is scheduled to appear before a judge on Thursday when attorneys plan to either have a deal in place, or schedule a new trial date, Halstead said.

Knapp has pleaded not guilty and is free on an unsecured bond.

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For background, see “Prosecutor: Former museum director gave herself thousands of dollars in fraudulent payroll draws” from Friday December 30, 2011, here

Updated at 3:07 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Centralia police caught a pair of teenagers overnight believed to responsible for a spree of leaving gang-style graffiti on well over 20 businesses and other buildings around town.

An officer passing by a vacant building on South Tower Avenue saw spray painting that hadn’t been there just a few minutes prior, Sgt. Stacy Denham said. The paint was wet, he said.

Two males from Centralia, an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old, were subsequently located and detained.

Denham said they had paint on their hands, red, black and he believed also gold.

Edgar Ramirez-Dado was arrested for second-degree malicious mischief and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department. However, later today he was released without charges pending further investigation.

The case involving his juvenile companion was referred to prosecutors for charging.

Police say there is a third suspect, known to them, still outstanding. The investigation is continuing today, Denham, said.

A little more than a week ago, police arrested two other young men for allegedly spray painting over existing gang graffiti, one of whom said he did it because he hates gangs, because they give the city a bad name.

Courtesy photo by Centralia Police Department

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Centralia police seized pounds of methamphetamine and bundles of cash yesterday morning when they made two traffic stops around 9:40 a.m., one in town and the other north of Centralia on Old Highway 99 in south Thurston County.

Two local men were arrested.

Members of the Centralia Police Department Anti Crime team were working with drug detectives from the Tacoma area, according to Officer John Panco.

Both vehicles were impounded.

In the door panels of a silver Toyota FJ Cruiser, police found more than $110,000 in currency, according to Panco. In the Ford Explorer, a plastic bag containing numerous pounds of meth was discovered, Panco said.

Arrested were Ascencion Ortega Garcia, 34 of Centralia, and Venacio Bastian Tolentino, 37 of Rochester, according to the Centralia Police Department. Both are citizens of Mexico, according to Panco.

The arrests grew out of an ongoing investigation, according to police.

Panco said he understood the men were booked into the Thurston County Jail.

Panco said police are not releasing any more details at this time.

Courtesy photo by Centralia Police Department