Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Centralia has chosen a new chief of police, and he’s from California.

Carl Nielsen comes from the Turlock Police Department in California’s central valley, where he is second in command.

Carl Nielsen

He was one of five men extensively interviewed in mid-February and introduced to the public following a nationwide recruitment effort.

In a news release today making the announcement, Centralia City Manager Rob Hill asks the public to join the city in welcoming Nielsen, and extending a helping hand during the transition. He starts work here on May 18.

Nielsen previously served eight years as a sergeant at the Tracy Police Department, also in central California, and before that spent 14 years with the San Diego Police Department. He holds bachelor and masters degrees in emergency services administration from California State University, Long Beach.

He has been active with both Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, according to Hill.

Centralia Police Department Chief Bob Berg is retiring, after 11 years as head of the department with 31 commissioned officers.

Nielsen, 50, said he’s going on eight years at his present department. He and his wife Jan previously purchased a home in Rochester, with an eye toward retiring in this area in the next 10 years.

She trains police dogs and the couple came to know this area through a friend in the same profession who lives in Tenino, he said.

He describes his style as collaboration; not just partnerships, but relationships, he said.

“I discovered early on if you try to do everything yourself, you can isolate yourself,” he said. “And it doesn’t work as well.”

The pay for the police chief in Lewis County’s most populated city was advertised as between about $100,000 and $122,000. Nielsen will be earning $112,656, according to the city.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Lester S. Thomsen’s death on the railroad tracks in Centralia last week was accidental, according to the Lewis County Coroner’s Office.

Lester Stephen Thomsen

Chief Deputy Coroner Dawn Harris said an autopsy conducted yesterday showed the 65-year-old man died of internal injuries, secondary to blunt force trauma.

The Centralia man was struck by an Amtrak passenger train about 11:30 a.m. last Thursday, a few blocks north of the train depot.

The southbound train came up behind Thomsen who was walking on the tracks. Police said Thomsen looked over his shoulder and was moving toward the side of the tracks when he was hit.

The coroner’s office listed Thomsen as transient because that’s what police officers at the scene indicated, and his grown son didn’t object to the information, Harris said.

Friends and family said he was born in Centralia and most recently lived in the B Street neighborhood with roommates.
•••

For background, read “Friends, family puzzle over death on the train tracks,” from Saturday April 4, 2015, here

Updated at 1:24 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Police arrested three women yesterday after an individual who thought he was getting sex in exchange for money found roughly $1,100 was taken from his wallet at a Centralia motel.

Officers called about 6:40 a.m. yesterday to the 1000 block of Eckerson Road concluded three females conspired to the theft, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Police say one or two of the females agreed to sleep with the victim  for money, and perhaps also his friend, and while the man was distracted a third female stole the money; then the women fled the motel.

Police Sgt. Stacy Denham said there was a language barrier, as well as the participants giving somewhat different versions of what specifically transpired. The victim is a local man in his in his 30s, who speaks Spanish, according to Denham.

When the suspects were subsequently located and arrested, almost all the cash was recovered, police report.

Arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree theft were Lucinda J. Fields, 43, and Jamie R. Wilson, 33, both of Centralia, according to police. Yolanda Ramirez, 26, also from Centralia, was arrested and released, Denham said.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Authorities are investigating after an apparent intentionally set fire behind a downtown Centralia bank last night.

Police and firefighters were called about 9:20 p.m. to the corner of West Main and Pearl streets by an individual who found fire in a recycling dumpster behind Washington Federal. The 911 caller had pulled the container away from the building and the flames were quickly extinguished, according to responders.

A covered walkway sustained heat and smoke damage, as did the masonry exterior of the bank, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

It appears someone set the fire, according to the Centralia Police Department.

The incident is under investigation.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Onalaska couple arrested in February for an overgrown personal medicinal marijuana operation are working on a plea deal, the details of which will be revealed when they return to court in two weeks.

James and Laveta Arnold

James L. Arnold and Laveta L. Arnold have been free on bail, but were charged with money laundering, manufacture of marijuana and possession with intent to to deliver.

Centralia Police Department’s Anti-Crime Team and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the pair late last year and in mid-February searched their property on the 200 block of Griel Road and seized 40 pounds of marijuana and 614 plants from an indoor garden, along with  cars, trucks, firearms and a den full of mounted animal heads, according to authorities.

The couple ages 55 and 52, have no previous criminal history, according to their court files.

The Arnolds appeared in Lewis County Superior Court yesterday afternoon where lawyers asked for a hearing at 10 a.m. on April 15 in front of Judge James Lawler.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello said he and their attorney have a tentative agreement.

“We have a working idea in place, I can’t really get into it,” Masiello said.

Police said the illicit business was generating approximately $136,000 per year, and that James Arnold admitted to  purchasing all or part of several vehicles with proceeds, as well as financing numerous hunting safari trips to Africa to hunt large trophy animals.

Whether the couple can expect to get back any property that was confiscated is a different issue, Masiello said.

Masiello said that is a civil forfeiture case, and he understands they are working on that with Centralia police.
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For background, read “News brief: Griel Road residents plead not guilty in marijuana case” from Thursday February 19, 2015, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Tenino Mayor Bret Brodersen wanted to keep the change in police chiefs low key, out of respect for Chief John Hutchings’ professional reputation, he says, but given mounting criticism on social media for firing Hutchings last week, decided to share the background publicly.

In a lengthy news release issued yesterday, Brodersen lays out issues involving the city’s exposure to a significant financial penalty that could result in cuts to city services related to an audit from the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a conflict between the number of hours Hutchings reported working compared with the number of hours he was authorized to work.

Brodersen also describes recently learning the police chief added a paid reserve police officer, not approved, not budgeted for and in violation of city statute that prohibits payment. The un-named reserve officer collected more than $10,500 over the past few months, according to the mayor.

Hutchings was hired by Brodersen’s predecessor in the summer of 2012. He was terminated last Wednesday.

Brodersen said on Thursday it was a difference in philosophies; and that he planned to hire a new chief as quickly as possible.

The Olympian describes the firing as partly due to Hutchings generally overstepping his bounds and writes about Hutchings’ supporters plan to march on city hall and circulating a petition to reinstate Hutchings.

Read more about it here.