Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office says a body was found lying on Mandy Road by a passing motorist last night.

Detectives responded to the report about 8 p.m. from the area near Interstate 5 west of Toledo, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The investigation, thus far, leads detectives to believe a man had been walking southbound on I-5 and possibly jumped or fell from the overpass onto the roadway below,” Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said this afternoon.

Brown indicated there is no evidence of foul play, at this time.

Witnesses described seeing a man walking across the freeway bridge above Mandy Road, acting erratic and animated, shortly before the body was discovered, according to Brown.

An autopsy is scheduled for next week. The Lewis County Coroner’s Office will release identification information once next of kin has been notified.

Updated

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Fords Prairie Elementary School in Centralia went into a modified lockdown after receiving a threatening phone call this afternoon.

School district spokesperson Ed Petersen said police are at the building on Harrison and Reynolds avenues.

Petersen said the call came into the school at 1:35 p.m. and he didn’t know exactly what was said, but described it as “kind of a robo-voice threat.”

The plan is for students to be released as usual and after school programs will go on as planned, Petersen said.

Petersen described the lock down as more of lock out.

Centralia Police Department spokesperson detective Patty Finch said officers, including with help from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol, covered each school in Centralia this afternoon until students’ dismissal time.

“We’re attempting, still attempting, to trace the phone call,” Finch said at about 3:15 p.m.

Police have the number the call came from and the cell phone company involved is assisting them, she said.

“They said it possibly was a computer-generated call,” she said.

It was described as a male voice who said he had a gun, was on his way to the school and was going to shoot people and then shoot himself, according to police.

Students at all the schools by now have been released, without incident, according to Finch.

An increased police presence can be expected in the area around the school for the next day or two.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  Chehalis police can’t explain it yet, but the stabbing victim this morning was found to have no stab wound.

Officers were called just before 7 a.m. to a report of a stabbing at the 300 block of Southwest Third Street. They were told a suspect had fled, according to the Chehalis Police Department

The area was searched with assistance from the Centralia Police Department, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and included a track by a police dog. No suspect was located.

The 28-year-old Chehalis woman was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital where it was determined she did not have any injuries, according to police department spokesperson Linda Bailey.

Bailey said police are no longer looking for a suspect, at this point. But they are investigating the incident, she said.

Bailey said she had no further information to release at this time and could not speculate as to what did or did not occur.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Local drug detectives’ work on a meth distribution and stolen property ring that stretched over three counties led them to a storage unit containing over $60,000 worth of property they’d like to return to its rightful owners.

The Lewis County Joint Narcotics Task Force today revealed an investigation that early last month led to a compound in Graham where they, along with federal agents, seized more than three pounds of meth, 24 guns and four stolen vehicles.

Jeffrey Pedigo, 48, and Cathy Pedigo, 43, of rural Pierce County are two of the four individuals arrested at the time, according to a news release. Two more are still being sought by law enforcement.

The investigation led to members of JNET and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration then arresting Jose L Gutierrez-Lopez, 33, and his sister, Elvia Gutierrez-Lopez, 43, for delivery of methamphetamine, and the seizure of more than 500 grams of the drug and a firearm, according to JNET.

The team led by Centralia Police Department’s Sgt. Brian Warren, the JNET supervisor, reports those arrests led them to Jeffrey Pedigo for a second time, who was allegedly in possession of a sawed-off, pistol gripped-shot gun, more than a pound of meth, and more stolen property, according to the news release.

Jeffrey Pedigo was booked into the Pierce County Jail and is currently being held on $1.25 million dollars bail.

Last week, law enforcement received new information regarding additional stolen items allegedly being concealed by the Pedigos and discovered the storage unit in South Hill, according to Warren.

They recovered numerous tools and equipment, some used for commercial construction, including an industrial walk-behind concrete saw. Among the loot: Over 30 drills, 12 air compressors, 12 generators and 10 leaf blowers.

The crimes involve Lewis, Thurston and Pierce counties.

Warren states if someone has been a victim of theft in the recent past and can identify their property with a serial number, to phone him at 360-330-7680.

The investigation has included involvement also from the Pierce County Auto Theft Task Force, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Teams and the Washington State Patrol.

Three of the 26 firearms recovered came from Lewis and Pierce counties. Altogether, about five pounds of meth was confiscated.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 25-year-old Salkum man was arrested yesterday in connection with the alleged kidnapping and rape of a Longview woman that came to light on Saturday night in Centralia.

Officers contacted the woman about 8:25 p.m. on Saturday in a parking lot at the 500 block of Harrison Avenue who said she’d been abducted in Longview and dropped off in Centralia.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said this morning the incident was reported to them about two hours later and following their investigation, they arrested Joel L. Kaech, 25, from Salkum and booked him into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape and felony harassment.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said it began in Longview and continued at the Spiffy’s parking lot on U.S. Highway 12 and possibly involved another location on U.S. Highway 12.

The incidents are still under investigation, according to Brown.