Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Centralia Police Department is now recruiting for up to five reserve police officer positions.

A reserve law enforcement academy is tentatively scheduled to begin in April, with graduation in September.

Applications for the volunteer positions are due by Feb. 1.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office will be tentatively co-hosting the training.

The program is sponsored through the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Stacy Brown says the academy requires a minimum of 249.5 hours of course work and certifies individuals to work as reserve officers throughout the state.

“Reserve deputies typically work with full-time deputies in performance of their duties,” Brown states. “Tenured reserves who have passed appropriate training are also allowed to perform patrol duties by themselves with minimal supervision.”

Centralia police describe the testing process as including a physical ability test, oral board interview, background investigation, polygraph (lie detector test) and psychological testing.

Persons interested in becoming part of the sheriff’s office reserve program may contact Deputy Matt Schlecht at mathew.schlecht@lewiscountywa.gov or at 360-748-9286.

Those interested in becoming involved with Centralia’s program can contact Sgt. Carl Buster at cbuster@cityofcentralia.com or 360-330-7680. Centralia’s applications can be downloaded from http://www.cityofcentralia.com/files/Job%20Application%20-%20Fill%20in%20Form.pdf

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 22-year-old driver was injured when she lost control of her car and wrecked into a guard rail along U.S. Highway 12 just west of Mayfield Lake last night.

Troopers responding about 11:15 p.m. found Layla R. Horton was traveling eastbound near Filbert Road when her vehicle left the roadway to the right, she overcorrected and then crossed to to opposite side of the highway, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The Mossyrock resident was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the state patrol. She had not been wearing a seat belt.

Her 2010 Hyundai Accent was described as totaled.

Troopers suspect alcohol or drugs to be involved, according to the state patrol. The collision is blamed on driving too fast.

Horton was to be cited for first-degree negligent driving, according to the investigating trooper.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The city of Centralia will begin sending some of its arrestees to Yakima County, instead of using the Lewis County Jail, after negotiating a price for bed space that is substantially cheaper.

Centralia, similar to other cities and towns in Lewis County, has long used the services of the only jail in Lewis County. It’s run by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Centralia Police Chief Carl Nielsen told the city council last week the fees the city has been charged increased significantly for the first time in several years, from $52.50 per bed night to $60.34.

As 2015 came to a close, the Centralia Police Department noticed a marked increase in the number of bed spaces they had been using, and began to look for alternatives, according to Nielsen.

The police department found that if they send individuals sentenced to more than 14 days to Yakima, the city could save approximately $10,000 over the course of the year, according to the chief.

Nielsen said the Lewis County Jail is still one of the cheapest places in the state to house offenders, but if he can find that kind of savings, he wants to do it.

Individuals arrested by Centralia police will continue to be booked at the Lewis County Jail, in Chehalis. And those convicted and then sentenced to less than 14 days, will continue to serve their time there, according to Nielsen.

The price negotiated with the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office is $54.75 per bed night, and includes the costs of transporting each inmate to Yakima, according to Nielsen. The chief said he wasn’t certain if the price included bringing them back.

Additionally, the police department is working with Centralia Municipal Court, to find circumstances in which they can avoid booking some arrestees into jail at all.

Nielsen said, for example, if a person is arrested on a municipal court warrant, perhaps instead of getting booked into jail, an officer will be able to re-cite them, with a new court date.

“Some (bookings) are mandated,” Nielsen said. “But if it’s a minor offense that we don’t have to, we’re trying to alleviate it for the minor offenses.”

The Centralia City Council approved Nielsen’s request to enter into an agreement with the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Centralia gas station was robbed at gunpoint early this morning.

Officers responded to a 5:10 a.m. call to the Chevron at 1000 block of Harrison Avenue, but didn’t find a suspect, according to the Centralia Police Department. No injury has been reported.

Police were told a man in his 20s entered the business, asked for cigarettes and then displayed a handgun and demanded money. The clerk complied, according to police.

The subject fled on foot and a track by a police dog was conducted but ended at the freeway, according to police.

The suspect was described as a white male with light facial hair, about 5-feet 9-inches tall and weighing about 175 pounds.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The woman found dead at the indoor pool of a Centralia motel was 55-year-old Theresa M. Kemper, according to the Lewis County coroner.

Police, firefighters and medics responding to a reported accidental drowning just after noon time on Thursday at the King Oscar Motel were unable to resuscitate her.

Centralia Police Department detective Patricia Finch said the victim had been living at the motel for about a week, that she and her sister had moved there from the Winlock area.

Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod described Kemper as a Centralia resident.

Finch said the death didn’t appear to be suspicious.

The cause and manner of her death, however, won’t be confirmed by the coroner until he receives the results of toxicology tests.
•••

For background, read “Centralia police: Woman drowns at motel pool” from Friday January 8, 2016, here

Updated at 8:43 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Police, firefighters and medics responded yesterday to a reported accidental drowning of a woman at the indoor pool of a Centralia motel.

Responders called at 12:22 p.m. to the 1000 block of Eckerson Road attempted to resuscitate the female however they were not successful, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Detective Patricia Finch said staff at the King Oscar motel observing the pool area on video surveillance, saw the woman was not moving very much and went to investigate. It appeared she was alone in the pool, Finch said.

“As of right now, nothing appears to be suspicious,” Finch said.

Her name was not released, but Finch said she had been staying at the motel about a week, with family.

The coroner’s office responded and took custody of the victim pending notification of next of kin, according to police.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Two people were injured yesterday when their sport utility vehicle was hit by a semi truck on U.S. Highway 12 in Randle.

Troopers called about 3:21 p.m. report the 1996 Chevrolet Suburban was eastbound and slowing to turn left onto Kindle Road when the 2003 Volvo tractor behind them failed to slow down and rear-ended them.

Andrew F. Spears, 30, of Onalaska, was transported to Morton General Hospital, as was his passenger, Bobby J. Lynch, 30, also of Onalaska, according to the Washington State Patrol. Both had been wearing seat belts, according to the state patrol.

The truck driver, Paul W. Neilson, 57, from Mossyrock, was reportedly unhurt.

His truck was damaged, but able to be driven away from the scene. The Suburban was described as totaled.

The wreck is blamed on driver inattention, and Neilson was to be issued a citation for second-degree negligent driving, according to the investigating trooper.