Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Former Chehalis family practice physician David Wooten has lost his appeal of a 2010 conviction for felony malicious mischief, even though his wife recently won her appeal on essentially the same issue.

Dr. Wooten and his wife Janna Wooten were found guilty in separate trials in Lewis County Superior Court when they were accused of trashing the house they lived in at Mayfield Lake. They contended it was simply a remodeling project they left unfinished when they moved out of the home they were purchasing.

They relocated to Texas in May 2008 after finding a foreclosure notice posted on the property, and learning the man selling it to them had taken out a second mortgage and lost the house.

The decision filed in May by the state of Washington Court of Appeals Division II on Janna Wooten’s case tossed out her conviction saying prosecutors failed to show any damage to a person other than the Wootens. Prosecutor’s arguments and theory were based on a misunderstanding of real property law, according to that decision.

However, the same appeals court ruled just the opposite in David Wooten’s case late last month. His conviction for first-degree malicious mischief stands, unless he petitions the state Supreme Court for a review.

Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Sara Beigh said yes it was the same court and similar cases with different outcomes. It was a different panel of three judges, Beigh said by way of explaining the contradiction.

The appeals court has seven judges.

Dr. Wooten’s move away from Lewis County came after state health officials reinstated his physician’s license with strict conditions that prevented him from prescribing narcotics and restricted his dealings with female patients. His practice was in Chehalis.

Beigh vacated Janna Wooten’s conviction last month, as the appeals court ordered her to do.

Both the Wootens already served their 60-day sentences, under so-called electronic home monitoring in the summer of 2010.
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For background, read “Conviction vacated for trashing of Mossyrock house” from Wednesday May 23, 2012, here

Firefighter-paramedic Jesse Berry works to assist trapped horse. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Centralia area firefighters worked for hours last night attempting to rescue a horse that fell to the bottom of an abandoned well.

The animal did not survive.

Riverside Fire Authority Chief Jim Walkowski said it appeared the horse broke through a concrete lid covering the 25-deep well. It was dry, he said.

Seven firefighters trained in large animal rescue responded about 6 p.m. to the pasture at the 2500 block of Seminary Hill Road, according to the chief.

The opening was approximately a four-foot square he said, and the horse was wedged at the bottom with his legs tangled in broken pieces of concrete and its wire mesh. The 1,800 pound animal had significant injuries, according to Walkowski.

With a veterinarian’s supervision, a firefighter was lowered and suspended to administer medication to calm the horse, Walkowski said.

“He was young with lots of energy,” Walkowski said. “From what I understand, in good health.”

The horse was really tired when they arrived, the chief said. It wasn’t clear how many hours he may have been trapped, he said.

It was right around 9:30 when the horse gave up, according to the chief.

Walkowski said they’ve never encountered such a complex rescue.

“Yeah, it was really sad,” he said. “We were really, really hoping we were gonna be able to make a difference.”

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Morton family is without a home today after a fire claimed their residence on the 200 block of Alder Avenue and one occupant is hospitalized.

Firefighters from Morton, Mossyrock and Glenoma battled the blaze that was reported about 6:20 this morning.

The single-story wood frame house was fully involved in flames when crews arrived, according to Lewis County Fire District 4.

Two adults and thee young children got themselves out, but one of the residents was taken to Morton General Hospital and then transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to Firefighter-EMT Jeanine Armstrong.

“All we know is somebody got up to do something and they got everybody out,” Armstrong said.

She said she wasn’t sure if it smoke inhalation or what that affected the man who was hospitalized.

The Red Cross is assisting the family, she said.

The cause is under investigation.

“Unfortunately, it’s a total loss,” Armstrong said.