Archive for June, 2012

News brief: Trio of elk crossing I-5 leads to collision

Friday, June 22nd, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A motorist escaped serious injury when she struck an elk on Interstate 5 in Chehalis early this morning.

Three elk were trying to cross the freeway near the 13th Street exit when a northbound passenger car hit one of them, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Troopers and aid called about 4:30 a.m. found the Longview woman had just minor cuts to her head and hand. Kelly Reser, 36, was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital.

“I guess those three elk have been hanging out in the area,” Chehalis Firefighter Derek Pedersen said. “Now there’s only two.”

The impact caved in the windshield of her car, which troopers described as totaled.

Trooper Jerry Kuzminsky said they commonly see elk farther south near exit 63, but recently a trooper spotted one near the Chehalis Wal-Mart interchange.

“It’s getting to be a bigger problem,” he said.

News brief: Emergency closure of state Route 508

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The state Department of Transportation closed the state Route 508 South Fork Newaukum Bridge to all traffic this afternoon when a routine inspection found significant corrosion on the bridge girders.

The highway will be closed there for emergency repairs until further notice, according to DOT.

Drivers should use U.S. Highway 12 to get to their destinations, DOT spokesperson Abbi Russell said.

The bridge is five miles east of Onalaska, just east of Centralia-Alpha Road.

There is no estimated timeframe yet for the repairs, according to Russell.

Eastbound traffic can take Leonard Road to U.S. Highway 12. Westbound traffic can take Cinebar Road to Silver Creek Road (state Route 122) to U.S. Highway 12.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

CENTRALIA MAN FINDS HIS STOLEN TOOLS

• A Centralia man who didn’t even realize he’d been burglarized yesterday morning was out and about when he spotted what looked like his tool box in the back of a truck. He followed the truck to a Centralia scrap yard and took down a license plate number, leading to the arrest of a 30-year-old man for trafficking stolen property, according to police. The burglary victim went home, found his tool box missing and called police, Officer Mike Lowrey said. Michael P. Doven, 30, of Winlock was pulled over about 1:25 p.m. near West Pear and South Pearl Streets and arrested and then booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

GUN, JEWELRY, TOOLS STOLEN

• At least $8,000 of valuables were stolen in a Winlock area burglary reported yesterday. A deputy called around 5 p.m. to the 400 block of Hemenway Road learned someone forced their way inside a home and shop sometime since Saturday and left with jewelry, a firearm, a toolbox full of tools and a chainsaw, according to the Lewis County Sheriff”s Office.

CENTRALIA HOME BURGLARIZED

• Police were called about 9:40 p.m. yesterday to a burglary at a residence the 300 block of North Diamond Street in Centralia in which two hunting bows and several pieces of jewelry were stolen.

OFFICE BROKEN INTO

• Police were called just before 9 a.m. yesterday to a burglary to an office at the 2000 block of Cooks Hill Road in Centralia. Someone forced open a door and rifled through cabinet drawers, but nothing appeared to be missing,  according to the Centralia Police Department.

AUTO THEFT

• A black 2003 Chevrolet pickup was reported stolen from about 4:45 p.m. yesterday from the 1100 block of Chestnut Street in Centralia. The vehicle, with a license plate reading B83476N, was taken sometime during the night, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police took a report just after 4 p.m. yesterday of a maroon 2005 PT Cruiser missing from he 100 block of West Maple Street in Centralia. It has a license plate of 815 YXY, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OFF-DUTY OFFICER CHASES DOWN WANTED MAN

• A 34-year-old Chehalis man was arrested after a short foot pursuit about 7 p.m. yesterday near Northeast Boistfort Street and Market Boulevard in Chehalis. An off-duty Chehalis police officer recognized Sean Holzberger and knew he had an outstanding warrant, Sgt. Gwen Carrell said. Holzberger threw down his groceries and ran, she said. Holzberger was arrested for obstruction, Carrell said. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

HALF DOZEN VEHICLES SOLD TO MAN WITH DEMENTIA

• Chehalis police were called yesterday afternoon by a woman who said her ex-husband who has dementia bought six cars from an auto dealer, even after they’d been told not to sell them to him. She thought it was a crime, but was told it should be taken up in civil court, according to police.

BUSTED

• Centralia police broke up an underage drinking party last night arresting 17 young people. Officers responded about 10:40 p.m. to a complaint of a loud party at the 1600 block of Winterwood Drive found the owner of the house was away and her child or children had a number of guests who were drinking alcohol, according to the Centralia Police Department. All of the individuals arrested for minor in possession or consuming alcohol were from Centralia and between the ages of 18 and 20, according to police. A 22-year-old male was arrested for obstructing. All were cited and then released, according to police.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

BREAK-IN

• Deputies are looking for a man with short red hair and a scruffy beard seen loading items into the trunk of a silver car at a residence that was broken into yesterday south of Chehalis. Deputies called about 4 p.m. to the home on the 3500 block of Jackson Highway learned that sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. someone stole more than $2,500 worth of valuables, including a 42-inch Samsung television, two wedding ring sets, other jewelry and about $600 cash, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Also missing are three pocket knives with mother of pearl handles, Chief  Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.

• A deputy was called yesterday morning to a residence west of Chehalis where someone apparently slipped inside and stole a laptop computer that was sitting on a dining room table while someone was home. The 47-year-old victim at the 400 block of Bunker Creek Road said her boyfriend may have left a door open when he let the dogs in, according to the Lewis County Sheriff”s Office.. He saw the computer about 8 a.m. and when he returned 10 minutes later, it was gone, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. There is a “person of interest” in the case, Brown said.

THEFT

• A little more than $200 was reported stolen from a locker at the 2000 block of Borst Avenue in Centralia yesterday afternoon, according to the Centralia Police Department.

COUNTERFEIT CASH

• Centralia police were called just before 6:30 p.m. yesterday about a male and a female attempting to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at the 600 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia. No arrests were made, according to the Centralia Police Department.

UNRULY MAN

• A 39-year-old Centralia man was arrested for disorderly conduct at the 100 block of East Maple Street in Centralia at about 9:15 p.m. yesterday. Michael A. Kauer was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

STROLLING POULTRY

• Police were called about 6:40 a.m. today about a chicken walking on Chamber of Commerce Way in Chehalis.

News brief: Sheriff: Tenino husband threatens to kill family, sets house on fire

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 50-year-old Tenino-area man is jailed after he allegedly threatened to kill his wife and daughter and then set the family home afire last night.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said the couple were at their residence on the 18500 block of Johnson Creek Road arguing about their relationship and when the dispute escalated, the woman and her 22-year-old daughter left, heading into Tenino to call 911.

Deputies went to the house and found it burning, but the husband had left, sheriff’s Lt. Greg Elwin said.

Firefighters called about 11:25 p.m. extinguished the blaze, but not before it had done an estimated $120,000 damage to the wood frame home, according to authorities.

Nobody was injured.

The sheriff’s office thinks he dumped gasoline on the place and lit it, Elwin said.

The suspect, Donald A. Puckett, was subsequently pulled over in the Nisqually area east of Lacey and arrested for first-degree arson, Elwin said. He was booked into the Thurston County Jail.

News brief: Two injured by rock crusher in Winlock

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

Updated

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Two men were hospitalized after they were injured by a plate on a rock crushing unit at the new Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers site in Winlock this afternoon.

The piece of heavy equipment was just purchased by a private company at auction, according to Lewis County Fire District 5.

Firefighters were called around 1 p.m. to the 200 block of Ritchie Lane, north of Avery Road.

Fire Lt. Laura Hanson said in a news release the full extent of their injuries is unknown; the men were taken to Providence Centralia Hospital.

Hanson said only they were working on the unit when they were injured by a large metal plate which fell. She said it was 400 pounds of three-quarter-inch steel.

Members of Lewis County Fire Districts 15, 6 and Lewis County Medic One assisted with the call. District 6 Chief Tim Kinder said the piece of equipment was on a trailer and the pair were disassembling it.

One of the men fell about 15 feet from atop the rock crusher and the other man was struck by the plate, Kinder said.

The injured, whose names were not released, are both in their mid-50’s, according to Hanson.

They are employed by South Bay Excavating of Olympia, according to a spokesperson for Labor and Industries. L and I is investigating the incident, spokesperson Elaine Fischer said.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

NURSING HOME THEFT

• A resident of Riverside Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center on the 1300 block of Alexander Street in Centralia reported yesterday someone stole $109 from their room, according to police. An investigation is ongoing, according to the Centralia Police Department.

X-BOX GONE

• An X-box system was reported missing from an office at the Yard Birds Mall in Chehalis yesterday afternoon, according to police.

KISSING UPSETS OBSERVER

• Police were called to a complaint around 9:45 p.m. yesterday about two people making out on the lawn in front of the Chehalis library for over an hour. The caller said it was very disturbing and wanted them stopped, according to police. No arrests were made.

PEEPING TOMS NOT LOCATED

• Police were called just before 11:30 p.m. yesterday to the 300 block of Southwest Sixth Street in Chehalis about two or three individuals looking into someone’s windows. No suspects were found, according to Chehalis police.

VANDALISM

• A 19-year-old inmate who said he accidentally broke a fire sprinkler head inside his cell on Sunday got in trouble again yesterday morning for allegedly doing it a second time, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

HIT AND RUN ARREST

• A 23-year-old motorist was arrested in Chehalis for driving under the influence after he allegedly struck a parked vehicle just before 10 p.m. yesterday at the 200 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia and left the scene. Marco P. Francisco, of Chehalis, was booked into the Lewis County Jail also for hit and run, according to the Centralia Police Department.

APARTMENT FIRE

• A Centralia apartment complex was evacuated late yesterday afternoon when a fire broke out in one of the units. Firefighters called about 5 p.m. to Reliable Enterprises’ building on the 200 block of West Reynolds Avenue found an occupant had put it out with a fire extinguisher, according to Riverside Fire Authority. A pot holder too close to a burner on a stove had ignited and the ensuing flames damaged a wall and cabinets, Capt. Erik Olson said.

OOPS

• An un-named 22-year-old Vader man on a stolen and speeding dirt bike allegedly struck a trooper’s patrol car before speeding away yesterday afternoon north of Vancouver, according to The (Vancouver) Columbian.