Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated at 11:41 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A skier died at White Pass this weekend after colliding with a tree.

The 60-year-old Olympia woman lost control after going over a “roller” or bump and was traveling backwards when she went into the tree line on Saturday, according to authorities.

An off-duty ski patrol member witnessed the approximately 11:30 a.m. accident, but efforts to revive the woman were unsuccessful, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Cathy Carlson was pronounced dead before responders got her to the lodge.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said the incident occurred at the White Pass Ski Resort’s Couloir run in the newer expansion area.

Updated at 9:47 a.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

One person was airlifted after a collision early this morning between a motorcycle and a Mack truck at a freeway onramp in Centralia.

Firefighters called at 5:20 a.m. to the northbound Harrison Avenue entrance to Interstate 5 found a male on the ground with unspecified injuries.

Riverside Fire Authority reports the Rochester fire department set up a helicopter landing zone at the Scatter Creek Rest Area so the patient could be flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Fire Capt. Erik Olson described the injuries as serious.

According to the Washington State Patrol, a dump truck was turning onto the ramp from a construction site when the motorcycle entering the freeway struck its trailer. Scott R. Bliss, 44, of Rochester was ejected from his 2007 Harley Davidson, according to the state patrol.

Police closed the northbound ramp and a portion of Harrison was also blocked. Trooper Will Finn advised motorists to expect delays.

Wesley G. Snelson, 61, from Galvin, was the driver of the 2004 Mack dump truck and was reportedly unhurt. His rig was not damaged, according to the investigating trooper.

Bliss had been wearing a helmet; his motorcycle was described as totaled and was impounded.

The collision remains under investigation.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Chehalis police this morning report the 8-week-old Chihuahua that went missing from the Wal-Mart parking lot last week turned up safe and sound.

An officer called on Wednesday afternoon was told by its owner the puppy fell from his his vehicle while he was setting items inside of it, and when he went to retrieve her, she was nowhere to be found. Witnesses said they saw a man with a backpack pick it up and put it in his jacket.

Chehalis Police Department spokesperson Linda Bailey said  this morning the owner was talked to over the weekend and apparently the little dog was found when it came crawling out from under his vehicle’s seat.

Bailey said it wasn’t clear if the one-pound pup had been hiding there the whole time or if perhaps whoever picked it up had put it back in the vehicle while the owner was looking around. She said she also didn’t know how much time passed before the pet was located.
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For background, read “Dognapping outside Wal-Mart” from Thursday April 9, 2015, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Firefighters report nobody was hurt but a single family home is a total loss after fire broke out early this morning east of Centralia.

Firefighters called about 4:35 a.m. to the 100 block of Hideaway Hills Lane found the roof burning and the structure well-involved in flames, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

A barking dog alerted the two occupants even before the smoke alarms sounded, according to a news release.

Members of three other departments arrived to help and the blaze was brought under control within about 30 minutes, according to the news release.

The cause is under investigation, Chief Mike Kytta states. Kytta noted several pets were accounted for.