Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Board members of Crime Stoppers of Lewis County have voted unanimously to cease operations.

While the program has seen a lot of success during its 21 years of existence, the large downturn in the number of tips coming in and the few cases they now help law enforcement solve, shows times have changed, the board said in a news release this afternoon. Board insurance takes up more and more of the budget coming from fundraisers, they said.

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“The board would like to thank all those individuals, social organizations and businesses that supported Crime Stoppers through the years,” the news release stated. “Without this generous support, Crime Stoppers would not have been successful.”

Over time, tips have led to 440 cleared cases, 356 arrests and a total dollar recovery amounting to $3,296,653, according to the board.

It has paid out rewards totaling $45,975.

Many people who have reported tips have not claimed their rewards. Any outstanding rewards must be claimed by September 20, 2016.

To inquire about collecting a reward call 360- 740-2726.

Crime Stoppers is hoping to find a group to take over its child identification program, where they make a kit for parents consisting of fingerprint, photo and DNA. To inquire about that, call 360- 740-2726.

The student Crime Stoppers programs in Chehalis and Adna school districts will also end.

The board made note that social media allows for other avenues of reporting crime. They encourage schools to work with local law enforcement to adopt a new program to replace Student Crime Stoppers.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Firefighters were called to the 100 block of Kosmos Road in Glenoma yesterday when a fire broke out in a ceiling area.

Fire Investigator Jay Birley said one of the residents had just gotten home from town and was on the front porch when a smoke alarm alerted her.

“So she runs in there to see what’s going on and notices the fan, in the bathroom, had fallen out onto the floor and was on fire,” Birley said.

She woke up her boyfriend and got everyone out of the house, he said.

Lewis County Fire District 18, assisted by Fire Districts 3, 4 and 14, responded to the approximately 9:30 a.m. call.

Crews got there quickly, knocked it down and contained the damage to the attic, he said.

“They did an outstanding job,” he said.

The single-story older-style modular home is currently not habitable, but the family’s belongings can be saved, he said.

Birley is investigating and said this morning the fan is suspect.

It had been left on and running for a couple of hours, and they are not meant to be used for long durations, he said.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The missing Onalaska man was located safe at about 8 a.m. this morning, hitchhiking in Dalles, Oregon.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office yesterday asked for the public’s help in finding 72-year-old Sean McTimmons, who had walked away from home the morning before after an argument.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said this morning McTimmons was contacted by an Oregon state trooper. He is safe and gone on his own volition, according to Brown.
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For background, read “News brief: Law looking for missing Ony resident” from Tuesday July 19, 2016, here

Updated at 8:35 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two people were injured when a Freightliner van slowed for traffic on northbound Interstate 5 in Centralia last night and a semi truck unable to stop in time slammed into its back end.

Troopers called just before midnight to the area near milepost 81 report the driver of the 2015 Freightliner tractor-trailer combination, Satwinder Singh, 30, from Everett, was not injured.

It happened in an area where one lane was closed for construction.

But the occupants of the van, both from California, were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol. They are the driver, Ruben Martinez-Puente, 31, from Hollister; and Kelly M. Reed, 46, from Sebastopol, according to the state patrol.

They were able to pull over and neither truck rolled or lost any of its load, fortunately, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

Fire Capt. Kevin Curfman said the occupants of the California van said their cargo was “10,000 government rats and mice.”

Curfman didn’t see the rodents, but was told they’d be fine while the pair went to the hospital, as they had food and water.

“Beyond that, I have no idea,” Curfman said as to where the animals were headed or why. “I’m just glad it wasn’t wide open and rodents running everywhere.”

The damage to the vehicles was described by the state patrol only as “reportable.” Both were towed.

The investigating trooper blames the wreck on inattention and following too closely.

Anyone who has seen Sean McTimmons or has any information, is asked to call the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating an Onalaska area man who hasn’t been seen since he walked away from home yesterday morning after an argument.

Sean McTimmons, 72, left his cell phone and house keys behind, but did have his wallet which held a debit card, according to the sheriff’s office.

He has not contacted friends or family in the area, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said this afternoon in a news release.  He is known to frequent local truck stops in the area, especially Loves Travel Stop in Napavine, according to Brown.

He lives on the 100 block of McCann Road, west of Onalaska, with his wife and took off at 8:10 a.m. yesterday, according to Brown.

If anyone has seen McTimmons or has any information, they are asked to call the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286.

He is described as a white male, 6-feet 3-inches tall, weighing 220 pounds with white hair, and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a trucker style baseball cap, a faded tan Carhart vest, a red-maroon plaid shirt, blue jeans, and dark brown boots.

Responders on the scene at southbound Interstate 5. / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office

Updated

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two people in a Ford Focus were airlifted after their car was sandwiched in between a pair of vehicles in a rear-end collision Interstate 5 south of Chehalis yesterday.

Troopers called to the southbound lanes near milepost 70 just after 1 p.m. found all three vehicles were totaled, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The Ford Focus, occupied by a driver from Hillsboro, Oregon and a passenger from Seattle, was stopped behind a pickup truck for traffic when 21-year-old Ashley M. Smith from Centralia rear ended them, according to the state patrol.

Smith was driving a Honda Civic and was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital with unspecified injuries, the investigating trooper reports. Her passenger Jordan C. Smith, 24, was reportedly unhurt.

The driver of the pickup was reportedly also uninjured..

LifeFlight flew Jody M. Bagnariol, 63, and Elisabeth R. Rudolph, 50, to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, according to the state patrol.

The collision is under investigation.

Update: Both occupants of the Ford Focus subsequently died at the hospital, according to the state patrol.

Smoke rises from detached garage in Centralia. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Young people playing with fireworks is the cause of a fire that broke out overnight at the 1100 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia.

“There was a mortar tube lit inside the garage, for whatever reason,” Centralia Police Department Sgt. Kurt Reichert said.

Firefighters called about 12:20 a.m. found the detached garage fully involved in flames and quickly extinguished it, Riverside Fire Authority reported this morning.

No other structures were involved and nobody was hurt, Fire Capt. Terry Ternan indicated.

Reichert said police talked with several juveniles there.

A case for reckless discharge of fireworks will be referred to prosecutors for the 16-year-old boy who lives there, he said.