Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated at 5:51 p.m.

CAR RUNS OFF INTERSTATE 5 UP HILL, AND BACK DOWN

• One person had rib pain after a two-vehicle accident this morning on Interstate 5 in Chehalis in which a car swerved off the road, up an embankment and into a fence before rolling back down the hill and coming to rest on its wheels on the shoulder. Troopers called just before 8 a.m. to the northbound lanes near West Street reported that Merilee S. Hill, 59, of Chehalis was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital. Traffic had slowed and Hill tried to slow down too but struck the back end of another vehicle before her Acura RSX traveled up the hillside, according to the Washington State Patrol. The 48-year-old driver of the other vehicle, Diana L. Jennings of Chehalis, was described by the trooper as uninjured. Her 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe was drivable after getting struck, according to the state patrol. Hill was cited for speed too fast for conditions, according to the trooper.

SALKUM-AREA WRECK

• A 48-year-old driver from Oregon as hospitalized after a roll-over wreck on U.S. Highway 12 east of Salkum yesterday. A trooper called to the scene at 1:30 p.m. reported the eastbound Ford Focus left the roadway to the right and struck an embankment before rolling onto its top. It happened near Fischer Road, according to the Washington State Patrol. Kelly L. Jaffe, of Central Point, Ore. was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital with neck and back pain, according to Lewis County Fire District 8. Passersby had removed her from the car and she seemed disoriented, Fire Chief Duran McDaniel said. The collision is under investigation.

TRUCK VERSUS TREE CENTRALIA

• A driver escaped serious injury when his pickup truck veered into a tree at Van Wormer Street and Reynolds Avenue in Centralia yesterday afternoon. Responders called about 4:19 p.m. said there was considerable damage to the truck but the male driver declined to be taken to the hospital.

JEEP VERSUS TREE ONALASKA

• A pair of Onalaskans were taken to Providence Centralia Hospital yesterday after a Jeep ran off Middle Fork Road into a ditch and then a tree. A deputy arriving to the scene about 1:20 p.m. was told by the 67-year-old driver he heard a snap and then lost his steering, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The vehicle had only lap belts so the driver and his 59-year-old female passenger “went forward into the windshield pretty good” but seemed to have escaped serious injuries, according to responders.

DOG SNATCHED FROM CENTRALIA YARD

• Police were called just before 6:30 p.m. yesterday when someone stole a dachshund from in front of a house on the 1100 block of F Street in Centralia. The dog thief was driving a red Isuzu Rodeo, according to the Centralia Police Department.

JEWELRY THEFT

• A deputy was called yesterday to the 100 block of Kauer Road in Packwood about a burglary involving almost $12,000 worth of jewelry. Sometime between Thursday and Saturday someone stole several items from a couple in their 80s, including a ruby ring, a pearl necklace with matching earrings, a 14 karat gold wedding band and a women’s fake Rolex watch, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

TWO FLEE WITH STOLEN GROCERIES

• Chehalis police were called to the 1100 block of South Market Boulevard about 3 p.m. yesterday when someone left Safeway with a cart full of groceries they had not paid for. An employee took down the license plate information from the van and it was later stopped in Cowlitz County, according to the Chehalis Police Department. One occupant fled and a 33-year-old man was taken into custody there on an unrelated matter, Officer Linda Bailey said. The loss is estimated at $400.

THEFT

• A 33-year-old Centralia man wanted for stealing electricity from an abandoned house on the 200 block of East Van Buren Street was arrested yesterday by Yard Birds shopping center in Chehalis. Eric E. Hemenway was booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree burglary as he allegedly broke into the house to plug in a cord which led to a garage next door, according to police. He is to be released without charges pending further investigation.

• The Morton Police Department is investigating the theft of a firearm from a residence on the 500 block of Main Avenue. A rifle was reported missing on Sept. 10.

• Morton police were called last week about yet another theft from a lumber yard at the Northwest Home Center. During their investigation, officers learned roofing materials were also stolen from Dels Farm Supply, according to police.

DRUGS

• A married father of three from Longview and 29-year-old homeless woman from Astoria were arrested in Winlock last night for possession of methamphetamine. Jonathan R. Swann, 30, was pulled over just after 11 p.m. on Northwest Fir Street after an officer conducted a background check on his license plate and discovered the vehicle had recently been sold but the title was unchanged, according to charging documents. Swann admitted he was driving on a suspended license and was arrested, charging documents state. Charging documents go on to give the following account: A police dog was summoned to sniff around leading to a search of the vehicle. A small baggie of suspected methamphetamine was found in the trunk, along with some marijuana. Swann  told the officer he had a medical marijuana authorization. Inside a brown purse near where a female passenger had been sitting, suspected methamphetamine was found, as well as a small clear baggie with Batman symbols on it containing five brown round objects as yet unidentified. Lashawna L. Smith, who initially gave a different name, was then arrested for possession. A third occupant of the vehicle was not charged with any felony. The pair were booked into the Lewis County Jail and are being held on $10,000 bail.

CAR PROWL

• Police were called at 6:25 a.m. today to the 1100 block of Long Road in Centralia where a purse was stolen from a vehicle sometime overnight. The victim had left the windows down, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called just after 9 p.m. to an interrupted vehicle prowl on the 1000 block of West Main Street. Officers were unable to locate a suspect as the individual had fled on foot, according to police.

• Police took a report about 4 p.m. yesterday from the 300 block of Noel Avenue in Centralia about the possible theft of medication from a vehicle.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police took a report yesterday of gang-style graffiti found on a fence at the 1300 block of Delaware Avenue.

Updated at 1:22 p.m.

ARSON ARREST

• A 44-year-old Centralia man was arrested over the weekend for first-degree arson in connection with a June 6 fire in which a 30-foot travel trailer on the 300 block of Kearney Street in Centralia was destroyed, according to the Centralia Police Department. Officer John Panco said officers picked up Brian H. Jones near the Sixth Street viaduct on Saturday and booked him into the Lewis County Jail. Authorities at the time said Jones previously lived in the trailer. It belonged to a woman who lives at the address, according to Panco.

SUSPICIOUS FIRES CONTINUE

• Lewis County Fire District 6 was called about 10:30 p.m. yesterday for another brush fire on Salsbury Avenue in Chehalis. Firefighters have been plagued with someone lighting fires in the area following a Sept. 1 blaze that destroyed a vacant mobile home on the 2200 block of Salsbury. Last night’s fire was about 10 feet by 10 feet and is part of an ongoing investigation, according to Fire District 6.

BURGLARY CHEHALIS

• A woman who lives in an apartment on the 200 block of Southwest 16th Street in Chehalis returned home Friday evening and discovered her television was missing. She told an officer she might have forgotten to lock the door, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

BURGLARY ONALASKA

• Two Timex watches, five Xbox games and assorted clothing were among the items stolen in a burglary to a home on the 600 block of Carlisle Avenue in Onalaska, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The break-in occurred sometime on Friday between 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

BARN BREAK IN

• A deputy was called on Saturday about a burglary to a barn on the 1600 block of state Route 6. Among the items stolen were a garden hose and gasoline taken from a fuel tank, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It happened between 5 p.m. on Friday and 7:30 a.m. the following day, according to the sheriff’s office.

VEHICLE THEFT

• A white 1994 Ford Ranger extended cab pickup truck was stolen from the 1100 block of West First Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 2:40 p.m. yesterday. It has a license plate of B25120S.

• A blue 1994 Ford Crown Victoria was stolen overnight from the 500 block of South Oak Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police yesterday. It has a license plate reading AEL 4226, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A deputy was called yesterday about a 1988 GMC pickup stolen from the 3100 block of Zenkner Valley Road outside Centralia. The truck vanished sometime after midnight and before 9 a.m., according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

STEALING POWER

• Centralia police say they took a report about 10:40 a.m. yesterday of someone breaking into an abandoned building at the 200 block of East Van Buren Street to use electricity.

FIGHT AT PARTY

• Centralia police say they responded about 12:30 a.m. on Sunday to a report of a fight at a party on the 1100 block of Prospect Street, but none of the victims would cooperate in pressing charges. Several people had minor injuries and one suspect fled the scene, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• A victim  of an almost-car prowl confronted a male getting into his vehicle this morning on the 1300 block of Rose Street in Centralia. Officers called about 4:45 a.m. noted the victim heard something outside and then saw a male wearing a dark-colored hoody and a red backpack getting into his vehicle. The prowler ran off, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A woman called police about 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and said she left her purse in her vehicle when she shopped for about a half an hour at the Dollar Tree in the Twin City Town Center and when she returned it was gone. The doors to her car were unlocked, according to the Chehalis Police Department,

• Police took a report of a vehicle prowl about 7:45 a.m. on Saturday at the 800 block of H Street in Centralia.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police took several reports on Saturday morning of “gang-style” graffiti on buildings and property on the 1400 block of Windsor Avenue. They occurred sometime after 12:30 a.m., according to the Centralia Police Department.

WRECK

• Centralia police said a child suffered minor injuries when he ran his go-cart into a parked car on Friday evening at the 200 block of West Oakview Street.

• A 37-year-old Randle man was hospitalized early this morning after he said his his truck nearly struck an elk on U.S. Highway 12 near Glenoma. Troopers called to the scene about seven miles east of Morton reported David C. Haviland was westbound when he swerved to miss the animal and rolled his pickup. The 1995 Ford Ranger came to rest on its top and was deemed totaled, according to the Washington State Patrol.