Lewis County Sirens.com

Victim was wearing black and white sweatshirt and shirt with ‘We Shall Overcomb’ logo. / Courtesy images by Thurston County Sheriff’s Office

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to identify the young adult male whose body was found in the brush near the entrance to Margaret McKenny Campground in Capitol Forest on Thursday.

He had multiple gunshot wounds and had been placed there by unknown subjects, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office this morning shared a sketch and described him as a mixed race black male between the ages of 17 and 25. He is 6-feet tall and weighs 170 pounds, according to Sgt. Carla Carter.

The sheriff’s office also shared photos of a black and white hooded sweatshirt he was wearing as well as a shirt with the logo “We shall Overcomb”. He was wearing brown pants, and a Captain America cap was found nearby.

Sgt. Carter initially thought a passenger in a passing vehicle spotted the body and tried to wake him up, but indicated this morning it was a female walking her dog who found the body at about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The area is off Waddell Creek Road Southwest northwest of Littlerock, according to Carter.

It appeared to be a recent death and a homicide investigation is underway, according to Carter.

The victim had no identification on him, she said.

An autopsy revealed the male had a condition which likely places him from the Ohio Valley at some point in his life, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office asks anyone with any information that may help identify him to please contact detective Jamie Gallagher at (360) 480-1650 or detective Ben Elkins at (360) 701-0000.

Crew cuts holes in train’s burning containers. / Courtesy photo Chehalis Fire Department

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Firefighters spent hours overnight battling a fire on a freight train which stopped blocking West Main Street in Chehalis.

Trash being hauled in two cargo containers, one stacked on top of the other, was burning, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

Both sets of BNSF tracks and Main Street near The Farm Store were shut down until about 4 o’clock this morning.

The crew was called about 1:15 a.m. and asked for assistance from Lewis County Fire District 6, Chehalis Fire Capt. Kevin Curfman said.

One department worked from the east side and the other from the west side, Curfman said. They had to cut holes through the sides of the metal containers to get water inside.

Curfman said once he was able to remove the tarp from the upper container, from the ladder truck, he could see it appeared to be construction debris.

The tracks and Main Street were opened back up shortly after 4 a.m., according to Chief Ken Cardinale.

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Five hundred block of West Main Street. / Courtesy photo Chehalis Fire Department

Courtesy photo by Thurston County Sheriff’s Office

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A young adult male was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds, in the brush in Capitol Forest northwest of Littlerock today.

The area is off Waddell Creek Road Southwest, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

Sgt. Carla Carter said authorities were notified about 1:30 p.m. today. She said she understood a passenger in a passing vehicle saw the person and tried to wake him up.

“It appears it was a recent death,” she said.

Detectives and crime scene investigators are just about finished at the scene, Carter said just after 4:30 p.m.

The victim had no identification on him, she said.

The investigation is ongoing.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Coroner’s Office says Morris L. Johanson, 70, died from blunt trauma to the chest after he wrecked his 2014 Chevrolet Camaro off an Onalaska Road on Tuesday morning.

Johanson’s car was discovered by a passing county worker, over an embankment at the west end of Burchett Road just before 8 o’clock that morning. Its flashers were turned on.

The Onalaska man was conscious when responders arrived and indicated he thought it happened about 6:30 a.m., according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Johanson passed away as firefighters and aid prepared for him to be airlifted, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

A deputy determined the car had been westbound on Burchett Road and crossed Leonard Road at the T-intersection without stopping at the stop sign, according to Breen.

Breen said Johanson had indicated that’s what occurred, and that he wasn’t paying attention. The car was described as totaled.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – County officials are encouraging all residents and employers to participate in today’s statewide earthquake drill.

It’s called “The Great Shakeout” and it happens at 10:20 a.m.

“People are more likely to react quickly when shaking begins if they have actually practiced how to protect themselves on a regular basis,” Steve Mansfield, of the Lewis County Department of Emergency Management stated in a news release.

The National Weather Service will activate the Emergency Alert System via the NOAA Weather Radio network which will also be announced on television and radio stations. The National Tsunami Warning Center will also send a test tsunami warning communications test targeted for the outer coastal regions.

Mansfield provides information for drill techniques:

DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and also allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if nearby.
COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand.
• If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter.
• If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows)
• Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs.

HOLD ON until shaking stops
• Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts
• No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands.

The Washington Emergency Management Division of the Washington Military Department says preparedness will be key in surviving the next big earthquake to hit the Pacific Northwest.

“That means being prepared for what you need and where you live –  with up to two week’s worth of supplies and an emergency ‘go’ kit ready and, for those living on the coast, have an understanding of evacuation routes and the warning signs behind tsunamis – including how NOAA Weather Radio works and the coastal sirens,” EMD stated.

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Mansfield suggests it’s also a good time today for those who have not already done so, to go to the county website at http://lewiscountywa.gov/em/lewis-county-alert and register to receive alert messages on your cell phone from Lewis County Alert.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 70-year-old Onalaska man died yesterday morning after his wrecked vehicle was discovered off the road and down an embankment.

The Chevrolet Camaro with its flashers on was spotted yesterday morning by a Lewis County Public Works employee driving by, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

A deputy dispatched at about 7:53 a.m. determined the car had been westbound on Burchett Road and crossed Leonard Road; there were no signs he attempted to stop at the T-intersection, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

The car was totaled.

Breen said the driver was conscious when responders arrived and plans were in the works to airlift him to a hospital, but he passed away before that could take place. His name was not released.

The victim thought it happened about 6:30 a.m., according to Breen.

The sheriff’s office is investigating.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two local men who thought they’d apprehended a common thief actually captured a murder suspect yesterday in downtown Centralia.

Police were called about 12:30 p.m. after the owner of a vehicle parked along the 400 block of North Tower Avenue saw a stranger inside his vehicle.

The owner confronted the man, who took off running, according to the Centralia Police Department.

“The owner and another citizen chased him down the street, found him about a block away,” Sgt. Dave Clary said. “They took him to the ground to detain him.”

When arriving officers checked the suspect’s name, they found he had an outstanding murder warrant from Alameda County in California, Clary said.

Lemario D. Thomas, 27, from Hayward, was booked into the Lewis County Jail on the warrant. He was also cited for vehicle prowl, the sergeant said.

Clary said the two men definitely did law enforcement a “good turn,” however, he doesn’t advocate people chasing down and confronting suspects.

“It was lawful, but the fact is, they were tangling with a murder suspect,” he said.

Fortunately, Thomas wasn’t found to have any weapons on him, Clary said.

Thomas told police he was just looking for some change, to get out of town, he said.