Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Coroner’s Office says it has identified the man who died of exposure in a Centralia park as 57-year-old Jerry Allen Grimm.

Grimm’s body was found Wednesday morning, after a night of freezing temperatures, with his backpack and all of his belongings at Rotary Riverside Park off Harrison Avenue.

Coroner Warren McLeod said Grimm was homeless, living in the Centralia area for the past year and a half.

He also used the name Gerald A. Ford, Jr., according to McLeod.

The coroner’s office is still trying to track down Grimm’s relatives to notify them of the death.
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For background, read “Riverside Park Death: Coroner still working to find man’s relatives” from Friday December 16, 2016, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An individual described by authorities as a deceased male person who appeared to be transient found in a Centralia park yesterday morning died of hypothermia.

Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod indicated in a written statement the accidental death was due to exposure to the the cold environment.

The man was found dead in Rotary Riverside Park off Harrison Avenue and police were called to the scene just after 7 o’clock yesterday morning.

Tuesday’s high temperatures in the Twin Cities never got over 41 degrees. By 1 a.m., the thermometer had dropped to 32 degrees and stayed that way until after the man was found.

A Centralia police spokesperson yesterday said it didn’t seem suspicious, and she didn’t know why the man was at the park.

Coroner McLeod reported after an autopsy scheduled for today he couldn’t yet release the man’s name. Neither police nor the coroner have revealed even an approximate age.

“We have positively identified the decedent but have not yet been able to locate next of kin to make notification to them,” McLeod stated.

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For background, read “News brief: Police investigating after body found in Centralia park” from Wednesday December 14, 2016, here

Updated at 3:36 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Five residents of Chehalis and Centralia were among 19 individuals arrested today during a sweep by federal drug authorities that netted more than 44 pounds of methamphetamine, fifty guns and at least $50,000 cash.

Today’s searches and arrests were led by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Washington, Arizona, and California, and originated from a February 2014 investigation by the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Law enforcement served 24 search warrants on locations in Washington and Arizona today More than 20 vehicles were searched in connection with the investigation.

Previous seizures associated with this drug ring include more than five pounds of meth and more than $28,000, U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes stated in a news release.

The Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team was among nearly 20 law enforcement agencies and groups involved. Other nearby agencies included the Vancouver Police Department, Grays Harbor County Drug Task Force, Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office and Thurston Narcotics Team.

Those arrested today for alleged ties to the methamphetamine distribution ring will make their initial appearances today and tomorrow in U.S. District Court in Tacoma at 2:30 p.m.

Those charged in the indictment include:

Jose Ernesto Mozequeda Vasquez, 34, Chehalis, Washington
Maria Centeno Gallegos, 37, Chehalis, Washington
Antonio De La Mora, 41, Centralia, Washington
Juan Salud Garcia Almanza, 30, Centralia, Washington
Violetta Rosalia Guadarrama, 32 Centralia, Washington
Jesus Beltran, 34, Phoenix, Arizona
Ernesto Luna Vasquez, 44, Kelso, Washington
Collin Mesinas, 28, Olympia, Washington
Aundrea Lynn Natins, 41, Port Orchard, Washington
William Hagmann, 54, Shelton, Washington
Jon Daniel Brownfield, 58, Shelton, Washington
Kimberly Brooke Gray, 36, Port Orchard, Washington
Rebecca Sue Godsalve, 52, Bremerton, Washington
Mark Agnew, 51, Gig Harbor, Washington
Isaela Pacheco Centeno, 22, Poulsbo, Washington
Teresa Goos, 55, Hoodsport, Washington
Derek Johnson, 29, Gig Harbor, Washington
Karen Kenmir, 55, Shelton, Washington

A nineteenth defendant, Gerardo Enrique Flores, 26, of Chula Vista, California, was arrested in California and will make his initial appearance on a criminal complaint in the Southern District of California.

Among the locations locally where search warrants were served, according to the DEA:

• 600 block Southwest 20th Street Chehalis

• Storage unit: 200 block Southwest Interstate Avenue, Chehalis

• 3000 block Ives Road, Centralia

• 500 block Jefferson Street, Centralia

• Storage unit: 5000 Ivan Way Southwest, Rochester

• 1800 block Lakeview Drive, Mossyrock

Updated at 5:32

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A man was found dead in Centralia’s Rotary Riverside Park this morning, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Police department spokesperson detective Patty Finch said officers were called just after 7 a.m. to the park off Harrison Avenue just east of Interstate 5.

It’s not yet known how he died or why he was in the park but it doesn’t appear suspicious, Finch said. She said she believed he was discovered by a “transient”.

“There are no wounds, there is no reason for us to believe it was a homicide,” Finch said.

The Lewis County Coroner’s Office will have to figure out the cause of death and who he is, Finch said.

Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod indicated late this afternoon he has a tentative identification of the person and plans an autopsy for tomorrow.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  A rural Chehalis 19-year-old arrested this summer for sexual abuse of two younger female relatives pleaded guilty today in Lewis County Superior Court.

Conlan M. Craig has been held in the Lewis County Jail since his arrested on Aug. 1.

Judge James Lawler accepted Craig’s pleas to one count of second-degree child rape and one count of first-degree child rape.

The original allegations suggested incidents began when he was as young as 10 to 12 years old and the girls were as young as 5 years old. His lawyer David Arcuri told the judge the charges had been amended to include only activity after he turned 18 to make sure when he is sentenced, he will be on lifetime supervision.

His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Board of Commissioners today approved the purchase of five new patrol vehicles for the sheriff’s office with an expenditure of almost $200,000.

The 2017 Ford Police Interceptor sport utility vehicles are replacing five in use that have more than 150,000 miles on them, according to Undersheriff Wes Rethwill.

Current LCSO patrol vehicle

Each deputy has their own patrol vehicle and the sheriff’s office replaces five vehicles each year, Rethwill said. He estimated the office currently has about 40 patrol vehicles.

They are transitioning away from silver; the new ones will be dark gray, Rethwill said.

These were scheduled to be bought in 2017, but to take advantage of a particular price savings, they were allowed to get them early, according to Lewis County Commissioner Edna Fund.

The fleet services division of Lewis County Public Works made the request.

While the base price is $27,433, once they are outfitted for police use, the pre-tax cost is $37,222 apiece, according to documents submitted to the commissioners.

They are buying them from Columbia Ford in Longview. The final bill is $197,616.09.

Updated at 9:42 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralia police are investigating after a motorist said she was pulled over and then groped by a man they say is a police impersonator.

He was wearing a police-type uniform and driving an older white Ford Crown Victoria with a single red light on its roof, according to the Centralia Police Department.

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He had the 33-year-old Centralia woman exit her vehicle and take sobriety tests, during which he groped her, according to police.

It happened at the 400 block of South Gold Street last night The victim broke away, locked herself in the car and drove home to call police just before 8 p.m., according to the report.

Detectives this morning are investigating this case and following all available leads.

Centralia police say, for now, if you are not certain it’s really an officer trying to pull you over, put on your emergency flashers, slow down, don’t stop and go to a well-lit area. Call 911 to confirm that the person stopping you is indeed law enforcement.

The only description detectives have right now of the suspect is a white male, ages 20 to 30 with short hair, detective Patty Finch said.

“I wanted to put it out so people are advised of what we have, but there’s still a lot more that needs to be done,” Finch said this morning.

Most law enforcement vehicles are clearly marked with “Police”, “Sheriff” or “WSP” markings, with the exception of detective vehicles, according to Finch.