Archive for October, 2012

Breaking news: Plea agreement made in Onalaska murder case

Monday, October 1st, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 25-year-old Onalaska resident who claimed he was legally insane when he took a knife to his sleeping father has changed his mind.

Joshua Leroy Vance is scheduled to plead guilty in the case that began in early March with the stabbing death of 58-year-old Terry Vance.

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Joshua Vance / File photo

A change of plea hearing is set for Thursday morning in Lewis County Superior Court.

“I don’t know how he could do otherwise, I really don’t,” his grandmother Bonnie Vance said today.

The younger Vance is charged with murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder, as he allegedly told an arriving deputy he was going to kill his grandmother, uncle and 11-year-old nephew but couldn’t because he cut his hand.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said a plea agreement was reached, but the details won’t be revealed until the parties go before a judge.

“We gotta wait till Thursday,” Meagher said. “I don’t want to upset the apple cart.”

The younger Vance previously pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. An evaluation by a doctor for the defense bolstered his position, but a court date was planned for a judge to hear from experts on both sides.

The findings from the doctor hired by prosecutors are not part of the court file.

The only hearings scheduled now are a change of plea on Thursday and sentencing on Oct. 17.

His family has said he was being treated for mental health issues at Cascade Mental Health in Chehalis and had gone off his medication because he couldn’t afford it.

Newly filed court documents indicate he was asked why he would harm his other family members.

Prosecutors wrote the defendant said he wanted to get rid of any witnesses, they all treated him poorly his whole life and turned their backs on him when he was sexually abused by a family friend.

“He felt he could no longer live in filth and would be happier going back to prison,” prosecutors quoted Vance as telling a detective.

Defense attorney David Arcuri was not readily available this afternoon for comment.

Joshua Vance’s past criminal offenses include possession of a controlled substance without a prescription in 2006, third-degree assault and attempted eluding in 2005, according to a report in his court file.

He was attending Centralia College and getting good grades in the months before the homicide at Bonnie Vance home’s on the 400 block of Pennel Avenue in Onalaska, according to his file.

Neither she nor her son Larry Vance have spoke with her grandson, as a no-contact order is in place with witnesses.

Bonnie Vance isn’t sure what she would say to her grandson anyhow, she said.

“I would like to know why, but that’s about it,” she said.

•••

For background, read:

• “Insanity” of Onalaska murder defendant to be decided by a judge” from Tuesday August 21, 2012, here

• “Onalaskan’s insanity plea in alleged murder of father bolstered by mental exam” from Wednesday July 11, 2012, here

• “Onalaska man pleads insanity in father’s fatal stabbing” from Tuesday May 8, 2012, here

•  “Murder suspect: “When he was good, he was such a good young man”” from Friday March 9, 2012, here

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, October 1st, 2012

Updated

BITES

• A 47-year-old man was arrested for allegedly biting and choking his wife after she flagged down an officer in a parking lot on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia about 6 p.m. yesterday. Thomas J. Roman, of Lynnwood, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree assault, according to the Centralia Police Department. The victim – who had teeth marks on her arm – was taken to the hospital, according to police.

• A 56-year-old Glenoma man was cited after his dog reportedly bit a 48-year-old jogger between the legs yesterday sending her to Morton General Hospital. A deputy called to the emergency room about 11 a.m. was told it happened on the 8100 block of U.S. Highway 12, and was a large dog that appeared to be a mix between a Chow and a Mastiff, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s office. The owner, Duane Stump, had been visiting at the location, according to the sheriff’s office.

ROAD RAGE

• Centralia police took a report from a Winlock couple in their mid-50s yesterday afternoon that as they were driving on North Gold Street a motorist began tailgating them and pointed a gun at them. The suspect was described as a male with a shaved head driving a green or black two-door Honda, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OTHER RAGE

• A 47-year-old Chehalis man put in the back of a patrol car when officers responded to a dispute in a Centralia trailer park yesterday evening kicked out a window and three officers sustained minor cuts during the ensuing altercation with him, according to police. It happened about 6 p.m. at the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia, according to police. Joseph F. Sanchez was booked into the Lewis County jail for malicious mischief and third-degree assault, according to police Sgt. Kurt Reichert.

• A Lewis County Jail inmate is in trouble for suspected malicious mischief after he allegedly threw a mop bucket at a video visitation kiosk in the jail on Saturday morning, as well as reportedly broke in half an electrical cord belonging to another inmate’s oxygen purifying machine. Luke U. Hall, 30, of Onalaska, was booked early last month after allegedly trying to crash his Jeep through a neighbor’s house, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

GROCERIES PILFERED

• Someone got into a residence on the 200 block of Quiet Acres Drive in Onalaska and stole hamburger, rice, cereal, chicken   nuggets, french fries, hash browns, a roast, potatoes, pizza and beer, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It happened sometime between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday, according to the sheriff’s office. There are no suspects, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.

VEHICLE THEFT

• Centralia police were called about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday to the 1100 block of South Pearl Street where a black Honda Civic was reported stolen. It has gold wheels, a pink sticker in its rear window and a license plate reading 763 YAS, according to the Centralia Police Department. It was last seen about 5 p.m. the evening before, according to police.

• A 29-year-old woman found in a pickup truck that didn’t belong to her about 8:45 p.m. yesterday on the 1800 block of Van Wormer Street was arrested for attempted vehicle theft. A deputy who contacted Krista R. Cate noted she had the window down, the music on and was acting very odd. She was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A primer red flatbed truck with a hot tub in the back was reported stolen on Saturday morning from the 4000 block of Harrison Avenue outside Centralia, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. t is 1974 Ford F350, according to the sheriff’s office. It was taken sometime after 9:30 p.m. the day before, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.

CONCESSION THEFTS

• Three young males are in trouble after teachers identified their images from surveillance video stealing boxes containing $300 worth of concession candy from the metal shop at Toledo High School on Saturday night. A 20-year-old Winlock man was booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree burglary and the cases of a 16-year-old and 17-year-old from Toledo will be recommended for charges, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s office. The intruders were seen using a key to get through locked doors, according to the sheriff’s office. The 20-year-old is to be released without charges pending further investigation.

• A camera was stolen from a concession stand on the 900 block of Johnson Road in Centralia, according to a report made to police yesterday afternoon. A door had been left open, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OTHER THEFT

• A 17-year-old Centralia boy was arrested yesterday for alleged involvement in a burglary to a garage on Thursday at the 800 block of State Street in Centralia. A neighbor spotted three individuals taking various car parts totaling almost $1,200, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• Centralia police took a report about 5:20 a.m. today of an attempted break-in at a building on the 700 block of West Main Street.

• A one hundred foot long garden hose was reported stolen from the 800 block of Elm Street in Centralia on Friday morning, according to police.

• Chehalis police were called to the 300 block of Hillside Lane on Friday night by a woman who handed over a two-way radio in a search and rescue bag she said she thought was stolen and had been left at the residence by a friend.

• Chehalis police were called Friday afternoon to Northwest North Street about stolen mail.

FUNNY MONEY

• An officer was called about 4:10 a.m. Saturday about a customer allegedly passing a fake $10 bill at a gas station on the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue in Chehalis.

• Chehalis police were called about 7 p.m. on Friday after a customer presented a counterfeit $50 bill at a grocery store on the 1300 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue. The customer paid with different cash but kept the bill and left, according to the Chehalis Police Department,.

DRUGS

• A 22-year-old Olympia man was arrested for possession of heroin following a traffic stop on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue about 6:50 p.m. yesterday. A police dog sniffed out suspected drugs and Mitchell D. Davidson-Link was booked into the lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 48-year-old Rochester man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine on Saturday afternoon at the 500 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia. Jeffrey Marchell was booked into the Lewis County Jail after contact with an officer about 3:15 p.m., according to the Centralia Police Department.

RVS BURN

• A fire that destroyed a pair of fifth-wheel trailers yesterday morning south of Chehalis is under investigation. Lewis County Fire District 5 was called about 8:30 a.m. to the 100 block of Elot Drive southeast of U.S. Highway 12 and Interstate 5 found the pair of recreational vehicles burning, according to spokesperson Lt. Laura Hanson. An ATV between them was ruined as well, according to Hanson.

SOUTH POINT FIRE STILL SMOKEY

• The forest fire burning south of Packwood put up more smoke yesterday because of warm weather but the fire behavior remains moderate, according to Gifford Pinchot National Forest spokesperson Ken Sandusky. The Forest Service continues to monitor the fire which is on a ridge called South Point about 10 miles south of U.S. Highway 12, Sandusky said in a news release this morning. It has been mapped at 101 acres, he stated.

News brief: Three hurt when 14-year-old rolls vehicle off Interstate 5 south of Chehalis

Monday, October 1st, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 14-year-old Portland girl who was allegedly driving drunk wrecked a van on Interstate 5 south of Chehalis early yesterday.

Aid and troopers called just after 3:30 a.m. to the scene near the U.S. Highway 12 and Avery Road interchange said three occupants of the vehicle were injured.

The registered owner, a 51-year-old Portland man, was a passenger in the 2006 Dodge Caravan, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The state patrol doesn’t know why an unlicensed teenager was driving with the adult in the van.

The vehicle was northbound, traveled off the roadway to the right and landed on it top, according to the state patrol.

The 14-year-old, Paris Roach, and a 16-year-old passenger, Kaliea Miller, both from Portland, were taken to Providence Centralia Hospital with bumps, bruises and scrapes, state patrol spokesperson Trooper Will Finn said.

Miller is a runaway, according to Finn.

The owner of the van, Stephan Hardy, 51, of Portland, suffered a laceration to his forehead but declined aid, according to the state patrol.

Finn said Hardy was dropped off at a nearby exit at a service station or a restaurant where he could get services or call for a ride.

Finn  said they do know the girls and the man are not family to each other. The situation is still under investigation, Finn  said.

Authorities impound nine malnourished horses from Morton couple

Monday, October 1st, 2012
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Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office seized nine horses near Morton following an investigation into animal neglect.

The horses on property at the 800 block of state Route 7 were severely malnourished and dehydrated; one in such poor condition it had to be put down, according to the sheriff’s office.

The seizure on Friday came after attempts by county animal enforcement to encourage the owners bring the horses back to a healthy condition, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

Five private groups and the Lewis County Animal Shelter assisted in the removal and now foster care of the horses, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said this morning.

The sheriff’s office is asking the prosecutor to charge the owners with first-degree animal cruelty. They belong to Terry Simmons, 58, and Joanne Simmons, 65, according Brown.

Brown said authorities had asked the owners before Friday to seek the services of a veterinarian, but they failed to follow through.

The couple didn’t really have an explanation for the poor condition of the horses, according to Brown.

“I don’t know that they really understood how bad of condition they were in,” Brown said.

The owners were however cooperative and in agreement on Friday the animals needed care, according to Brown.

The horses ranged in age from as old as 15 to just a foal, according to the sheriff’s office.

Brown said donations of feed and grain are needed, and can be made to the animal shelter.

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Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office