Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated at 11:24 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Update: The sheriff’s office reports he passed away just before 5 p.m. yesterday.

Previously: A fly fisherman who slipped into the Cowlitz River but was pulled to safety by another person fishing yesterday was transferred to the intensive care unit of Providence St. Peter Hospital, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

The man was unconscious but the rescuer performed CPR.

It happened about 500 yards downstream from the Blue Creek Boat Launch south of Ethel.

The sheriff’s office identifies the victim as a 63-year-old resident of Gig Harbor.

According to the sheriff’s office, witnesses saw him wading out in to the water, going farther in when he apparently slipped and went under into a current. The other fishermen saw the incident and jumped in and dragged the man to shore.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said she is waiting this morning to learn more about his condition.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A fisherman in his 50s who was pulled underwater in the Cowlitz River today was dragged to shore by another fisherman who performed CPR on the unconscious man.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and aid responded about 11:50 a.m. to the area south of Ethel. It’s not yet clear if he was resuscitated or not.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said the man was fly fishing about 500 yards downstream from the Blue Creek Boat Launch.

Witnesses saw him wading out into the water and going farther in when he apparently slipped, according to Brown.

A boat that was nearby took the man to the other side, Green Water Drive, and waited for aid to arrive, Brown said.

He was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, Brown said.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Chehalis Police Department has contributed a detective to a regional drug task force that has been taking shape since earlier this year in Lewis County.

A detective from the sheriff’s office has been working with the team at the Centralia Police Department which is led by a sergeant there, with two Centralia detectives.

It’s been named the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team and year to date has already made 100 arrests and served 35 search warrants, according to Chehalis Police Chief Glenn Schaffer.

Its sole task is to go after drug dealers at every level, Schaffer told the Chehalis City Council this evening.

The police chief said regional teams for both drugs and SWAT in Lewis County are visions incoming Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza had when he took office in January.

Last month, Chehalis assigned a detective to the drug group, he said.

The police chief said that during his tenure, he’s seen cooperative efforts to varying degrees, with combined teams and with individual teams among police agencies in the county.

“At no time have I seen the three working together in such an organized fashion as I do now,” he said.

In just the one month Chehalis has been a part of JNET, the team has made 16 felony arrests and served eight search warrants, he said.

The Lewis County Regional SWAT team has 15 members, and is headed up by Lewis County Undersheriff Wes Rethwill.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

KUOW radio reports a Randle man has pleaded guilty to poaching big leaf maple trees from U.S. Forest Service land.

Courtesy photo by U.S. Attorney’s Office

Ryan Justice, 28, was one of four Lewis County men indicted on theft and other federal crimes in a case involving illegal harvest and selling of the specialty wood.

News reporter Chris Lehman writes that on Thursday Justice admitted he cut maple trees in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and sold the wood to J & L Tonewoods a Winlock mill that specialized in “figured” maple for musical instruments.

The mill owner and two other alleged poachers were also charged in the case and have pleaded not guilty, according to Lehman.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.

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For background, read “Feds: Tree thieves and mill owner indicted for trafficking specialty maple from Gifford Pinchot” from Friday August 7, 2015, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Criminal charges have been dropped against a 22-year-old woman accused in July of assaulting her boyfriend’s two children.

Chandra M. Munsey was arrested on July 23 and the two boys were taken into protective custody after their father called police.

The father, Casiano Baldovinos, said he found his children – ages 2 and 3, – with bruises when he picked them up from Munsey’s parents home outside of Centralia.

Munsey was charged with two counts of second-degree child assault, but released from jail the same day to give the sheriff’s office more time to investigate.

Baldovinos and Munsey live together in Chehalis. He has contended since the beginning his girlfriend was innocent.

Authorities have revealed little about the case, other than alleging it occurred in Lewis County a few days before Munsey’s arrest. The documents which detailed their probable cause were sealed by a judge.

Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said today the charges against Munsey were dismissed on Friday, “pending further investigation.”

They were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the state may re-file them if they choose.

Halstead declined to say if detectives have a different suspect., saying an investigation is still underway. Munsey has no felony criminal history.
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For background, read “News brief: Investigation into bruises on two Chehalis children moving forward slowly” from Friday July 31, 2015, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 20-year-old Winlock resident accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend in the back this summer near Winolequa Park is facing a possible prison sentence of more than 18 years after pleading guilty as charged.

Joseph M. Lowery

Joseph M. Lowery was arrested and charged in July with attempted first-degree murder, in a case in which investigators said he targeted the young woman, saying he had become tired of her disrespecting the “Juggalo family.”

Shyann Gallimore, also 20, was struck with what authorities believed was a 22 caliber bullet the evening of July 18.

Lowery went before a judge on Wednesday in Lewis County Superior Court and pleaded guilty, Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said.

Halstead said he and the defense attorney agreed in a plea deal to both recommend Lowery be given 220 months.

Juggalo is a name used by fans of performance artists called the Insane Clown Posse. A 16-year-old boy who allegedly accompanied Lowery was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence.

Lowery’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
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For background, read “Prosecutors: Winlock park shooter grew tired of ex-girlfriend disrespecting gang” from Tuesday July 21, 2015, here