By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The Olympian reports Tenino Police Chief Sean Gallagher resigned today after the mayor said he planned to put the chief on leave pending an investigation into “conduct unbecoming of an officer” related to the inquiry into his wife’s 2010 suicide.
News reporter Jeremy Pawloski writes Gallagher said he resigned because the mayor was trying to take over operational control of the police department.
Read about it here
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The (Longview) Daily News reports the man killed by a train last week north of Castle Rock is 56-year-old Juan Aurelio Garza, a resident who has lived off and on in Castle Rock and was on his way to the library when he was struck.
The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office has not been able to locate Garza’s family, although they learned he previously taught at various colleges and high schools and lived in several other states, according to the newspaper.
Read more here
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The Olympian reports that four individuals plan to run for Thurston County Superior judicial seats this fall.
News reporter Jeremy Pawloski writes that attorney Allen Miller, former state Rep. Brendan Williams and Thurston County Court Commissioner Indu Thomas announced their candidacy for the position held by the retiring Judge Thomas McPhee; and that Court Commissioner Christine Schaller seeks to fill the spot opening up when Judge Paula Casey retires.
Olympia attorney James Dixon has already been appointed to the vacancy created by Judge Christina Pomeroy’s retirement, according to Pawloski.
Read about it here
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 70-year-old Olympia man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison today for unlawfully dealing in firearms in a case that began at a Centralia gun show.
David Devenny, who reportedly sold a gun that a week later was used to kill Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton in 2009, was also fined $12,850 and will get three years of supervision after his release, according to the U.S. Attorney’ Office.
“Defendant lined his pockets by funneling guns to criminals, and others paid the heavy price for his actions,” U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan stated in a news release. “Those who ignore laws that are meant to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and children take heed.”
Davenny was arrested in November 2010 after selling guns to a convicted felon and a person with a domestic violence conviction, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office.
He came to the attention of law enforcement who conducted undercover purchases at guns shows in Western Washington.
He pleaded guilty previously to unlawfully dealing in firearms and two counts of selling a firearm to a prohibited person, according to the news release.
Prosecutors in asking for a significant sentence noted that for eight years Davenny dealt countless guns illegally and “flooded the streets with untraceable firearms,” according to the news release.
He was sentenced in Tacoma today by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle, who called Davenny’s behavior “cavalier.”
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For background, read “Man’s arrest for illegal firearms sales follows undercover operation at Centralia gun show” from Saturday Nov 20 2010, here
And, “Undercover purchases at Centralia and other gun shows lead to four federal indictments” from Monday May 2, 2011, here
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Attention scanner listeners: Dispatchers in Lewis County’s 911 center will be participating in a drill today, practicing how to deal with an undisclosed emergency situation.
The radio communications will be conducted on a secondary frequency, and will be preceded by an announcement it is an exercise, according to Laura Hanson at Lewis County Communications.
The drill is expected to begin about 1 p.m. and could continue until as late as 2:30 p.m., depending upon actual emergency communications needing attention at the same time, Hanson said.
The mock scenario will involve some type of incident taking place close enough to the Historic Courthouse on Main Street in Chehalis that dispatchers would have to “shelter in place”, Hanson said.
Also taking part in radio and phone communications simulating their response will be Chehalis police, fire, the sheriff’s office, the jail and other county departments, according to Hanson.
For the 911 center, it is an opportunity to check and refine their continuity of operations plan, according to Hanson.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The Chehalis River at Grand Mound reached flood stage at 6 o’clock this morning and is expected to crest around 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Heavy rains yesterday caused minor flooding on the Chehalis and Skokomish Rivers, the weather service reports. A flood warning continues on both rivers; the Chehalis in Thurston County until late tonight.
The Chehalis River is expected to continue to rise slowly today and crest just above its flood stage of 14 feet, according to the weather service.
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Check the National Weather Service, here
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 40-year-old woman from Montesano is dead after her car was struck by a semi truck on Interstate 5 near Maytown just before 5 p.m. today.
The Washington State Patrol reports she was southbound when she lost control, spun out and came to rest in lane one. A southbound Peterbilt tractor-trailer rig ran into her Hyundai Elantra and forced it into the concrete barrier, according to the state patrol.
Her name was not released.
The driver of the semi, Sarbjit Dhudwal, 33, of Chehalis, sustained a minor injury, according to the patrol.
The cause and any possible charges remain under investigation.
All lanes of traffic were reopened by just before 9:15 p.m., according to the state Department of Transportation.
Update Wednesday March 14, 2012 at 11:05 a.m.: The victim has been identified by the state patrol as Cheryl A. Dimler, 40, of Montesano.
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