Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 70-year-old Rochester woman reported missing last week was located yesterday afternoon down a 30-foot embankment where her car had wrecked and hit two trees along U.S. Highway 12 about two miles north of Oakville.

Sharon L. Leaming

Sharon L. Leaming was injured and airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Troopers called to the scene at 1:30 p.m. report Leaming’s Chevrolet Lumina was totaled.

Leaming had been traveling eastbound and suffered a medical event causing her to drive off the shoulder, according to the state patrol.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office took a missing person report on Thursday and learned Leaming had left home Tuesday morning for North Cove and headed home later in the day but never arrived. Her cell phone was “pinged”  on Thursday to a location near Oakville but a search was unsuccessful, according to the sheriff’s office.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Coroner’s Office today revealed today the man found dead inside a burned car a little more than two weeks ago in Chehalis is a 48-year-old Kelso resident.

Robert A. Mansker was found deceased after the flames were extinguished on a 1992 Honda Accord parked off the 1900 block of Northeast Kresky Avenue early on the morning of May 6, according to authorities.

The cause and manner of Mansker’s death won’t be determined until the completion of further investigation and studies, according to Coroner Warren McLeod
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For background, read “News brief: Chehalis car fire death still unresolved” from Monday May 15, 2017, here

South Pearl Street on Saturday morning. / Courtesy photo by Cassie Shaughnessy

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two people sustained minor injuries in a house fire yesterday morning in Centralia that heavily damaged the home.

Firefighters called about 9 a.m. to the 800 block of South Pearl Street arrived to see flames at the upstair windows, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

“After confirming that the three adult occupants had safely evacuated, crews worked to extinguish the fire,” Riverside Fire Capt. Casey McCarthy wrote in a brief summary.

The fire was contained to the house and did not extend to the attached garage or to the neighboring houses, according to McCarthy.

The fire captain noted no smoke detectors present.

The two people’s injuries did not require them to be taken to the hospital, according to the fire department.

Local Red Cross representatives were requested and have been working with the displaced occupants, McCarthy stated.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Four fire departments responded this afternoon when a fire broke out at Hardel Plywood on Maurin Road in the Chehalis Industrial Park.

Something, likely sawdust, ignited atop one of the large wood dryers inside a building and fire extended into the insulation above, according to Lewis County Fire District 6.

The plant’s workers were already spraying it with water when the crew arrived, Firefighter-Paramedic Matt McCoy said.

District 6 was joined by Lewis County Fire District 5, the Chehalis Fire Department and Riverside Fire Authority, McCoy said.

Crews finished knocking down the flames and were on scene about two hours doing “over haul,” McCoy said. The damage was minimal, nobody was hurt, he said.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Authorities say an 18-year-old Centralia woman killed in a head-on crash in Grand Mound died from internal injuries.

Cheyllyn R. Collinsworth died Wednesday night just as LifeFlight was landing following the collision at Old Highway 99 near Oregon Trail Road.

Firefighters called to the scene about 11:20 p.m. used the Jaws of Life to get to their patients. Collinsworth was driving southbound when a car headed northbound crossed the centerline, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

The male driver of the second car was injured and transported to  Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, according to the fire department.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Carla Carter today declined to release information about the male, except to say last she knew, he was still at the hospital and the wreck is being investigated as a vehicular homicide.
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For background, read “Grand Mound: Two-car wreck leaves 18-year-old dead” from Thursday May 18, 2017, here