Archive for November, 2013

Read about former Chehalis doctor on trial for wife’s death …

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Former Valley View Medical Center director Dr. Martin J. MacNeill is on trial for murder in Provo, Utah.

The (Provo, Utah) Daily Herald reports prosecutors allege MacNeill in 2007 gave his wife Michele a deadly cocktail of drugs in order to purse a love affair with a woman named  Gypsy Willis while defense attorneys say the wife who was found in a bathtub died from a heart condition.

MacNeill worked at the Chehalis medical clinic for just three months when he was arrested in January 2009 on separate federal charges related to identity theft.

Read the latest coverage on the homicide case, here

It’s election day; have you voted?

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Who will be in charge of the fire department where you live?

Half of the fire districts in Lewis County have contested races on the ballot for the position of fire commissioner.

Lewis County has 18 fire districts, the majority of which are run by a three-member board of commissioners.

Ballots for the general election must be postmarked by today or returned to the Lewis County Auditor’s Office before 8 p.m.

See election results here beginning shortly after 8 o’clock tonight.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

Updated at 6:55 p.m.

BURGLARY CHEHALIS

• Someone broke into a home on the 500 block of Coal Creek Road and left with more than $4,000 worth of valuables including a men’s Bolivia gold and diamond watch, a black Washburn acoustic guitar with pearl inlay, a gold melting torch and a MacBook Pro laptop computer, according to a report made yesterday to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It happened sometime between Friday and Sunday, Sgt. Rob Snaza said.

BREAK-IN CENTRALIA

• A 39-year-old Centralia woman called police last night to report someone broke into her home and stole her mason jar full of marijuana. Officers responding about 6 p.m. to the 1400 block of Windsor Avenue learned that three containers of prescription medications were also missing. The woman said when she left, her door was locked and when she returned home it was also locked, according to the Centralia Police Department. Under the new law, if a person is 21 or older, they may possess marijuana in their home and may report it stolen if that happens, Officer John Panco said. The case is under investigation, according to police. There was no dollar amount listed in the report for her loss, according to Panco.

DRUGS

• A 26-year-old Chehalis woman was arrested in connection with an ongoing drug investigation yesterday afternoon when deputies made a traffic stop on the 200 block of Maurin Road in Chehalis. It happened just before 4 p.m. and Kari N. Driver was booked into the Lewis County Jail in connection with alleged delivery of methamphetamine, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Three others were arrested as well, Sgt. Rob Snaza said. “Basically we had been looking for her and she was in the vehicle with all the others,” Snaza said. Snaza said Calvin C. Buhl, 24, of Centralia, was arrested for driving with a suspended license; Hailey E. Athay, 22, Chehalis, was arrested for a warrant and Joshua S. Jacobs, 34, Oakville, was also arrested for a warrant.

HIT AND RUN

• Three males were seen running from a mini van after it crashed into a parked car about 11 p.m. last night at the 200 block of West Cherry Street in Centralia, but court papers left behind are believed to belong to one of them, according to the Centralia Police Department. The incident is under investigation, according to police.

WRECK

• A 46-year-old Kelso man was cited for negligent driving when he reportedly drove into a lane closed for construction on Interstate 5 in Centralia last night and then merged back in striking a Chevrolet Trailblazer. The Washington State Patrol reports both vehicles were damaged, nobody was injured but the 24-year-old driver of the SUV was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital for an unspecified reason. She was treated and has been released, according to the hospital. It happened northbound near the Mellen Street interchange, according to the state patrol. The Hyundai Accent driven by Paul P. Ticknor was able to be driven away from the scene, according to the investigating trooper.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor assaults; responses for alarms, graffiti, shoplifting, collisions, disputes; concerns about intoxicated man stumbling into traffic, camo-wearing man with a long gun standing on a sidewalk which turned out to be a local guy who may have been carrying a walking stick; complaints about barking dog … and more.

News brief: Name released of elk hunter killed by falling tree top

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The hunter who was killed over the weekend when part of a tree fell onto his tent outside Packwood is identified as Joseph R. Gardner, 69, of Kirkland.

An autopsy found Gardner died from multiple internal injuries, stemming from blunt force trauma to his chest and head, according to Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office responded about 3 p.m. on Saturday to the hunting camp at the Cortright Creek Trailhead where a 20-foot length of tree had dropped approximately 100 feet onto the man.

KING5.com talked to Gardner’s brother who said the two went hunting in that same spot nearly every year since they were boys growing up in Randle but he’d never seen the wind like it was that day.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, November 4th, 2013

Updated at 6:36 p.m.

MISSING HUNTER LOCATED

• A 38-year-old Morton man who was hunting and hadn’t been seen since early Saturday morning was found yesterday with mild hypothermia and an injured hip, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said local search and rescue personnel learned shortly after 8:15 a.m. yesterday that searchers from the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office were looking for the missing man south of Walupt Lake off the 405 Road in Yakima County. He had last been seen about 6 a.m. on Saturday, according to Brown. He eventually made it to a road where he was found by two individuals; the sheriff’s office was notified about 5 p.m., according to Brown. The hunter apparently was following an elk near a place called the Weed Patch and ended up on the Yakama Reservation in the Two Lakes area, Brown said.

VIOLENCE  IN CENTRALIA

• Deputies called about 5:20 p.m. yesterday to a report of a man pointing a 12-inch chef’s knife into his step-father’s back ended up arresting 26-year-old Christopher J. Draskovich of Centralia.  The unprovoked assault occurred in the kitchen of a home on the 600 block of State Street in Centralia, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect’s family told the sheriff’s office Draskovich had been making threats to kill them over the previous two days, according to Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown. When deputies arrived, Draskovich was standing in the street saying his family was trying to kill him, Brown said. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree assault, according to the sheriff’s office.

VIOLENCE IN PACKWOOD

• A 24-year-old Packwood man was arrested for assault in connection with an incident a week ago in which he allegedly left a 42-year-old Packwood man limping and sporting two black eyes, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning. A deputy called to the 100 block of Alta Lane on Oct. 27 noted the incident at the victim’s residence was related to jealousy issues regarding the suspect’s wife, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. The victim had a red marks on his back and his forehead, according to Brown. Zakary T. Porter was found at his home and arrested on Friday for third-degree assault and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

VEHICLE THEFT

• Chehalis police took a report yesterday of a red Suzuki Sidekick stolen from in front of its owner’s residence at the 100 block of  Southwest Fourth Street in Chehalis. The Jeepish-type vehicle was there at about 10 p.m. the night before, but by 11 a.m. it had vanished, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The owner said it had been locked and the owner had the keys, according to police. It has a license plate reading ANS 2904, according to police.

BREAK-IN

• Centralia police were called about 8:20 p.m. on Saturday regarding a residential burglary at the 900 block of South Tower Avenue. Missing is costume jewelry, according to the Centralia Police Department.

STOLEN SPRAY PAINT

• Two teenagers were arrested yesterday after allegedly stealing spray paint from a backyard on the 1400 block of Oxford Avenue in Centralia and using it on a vehicle. Brandon L. Jones, 18, of Centralia, and a 16-year-old boy were arrested for second-degree burglary following the approximately 3 p.m. incident, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• A 44-year-old Centralia man who was allegedly caught going through a vehicle by its owner was arrested on Friday evening  according to police. An officer called just before 7 p.m. to the 1300 block of Logan Street cited Richard B. Paddock for vehicle prowl and then released him, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• A 21-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, giving false information to an officer and warrants on Friday night. Devon E. Hall was booked into the Lewis County Jail after contact about 8:20 p.m. with an officer at the 100 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

GUN CRIME

• An 18-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for felon in possession of a firearm on Friday morning at the 1100 block of Long Road in Centralia. Kyle A. Long was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

INDECENT EXPOSURE

• A 46-year-old Chehalis man was taken home by an officer to get him out of public after he allegedly urinated in an alley behind someone’s home and was seen through their window. It was about 4:30 p.m. on Friday in the area of Cascade Avenue, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Sgt. Gary Wilson said Brian Ota was somewhat intoxicated and was cited and then released.

SLEEPING BEHIND THE WHEEL

• Deputies called about 7 p.m. on Friday to a report of two unresponsive subjects inside a car with its motor running in the parking lot of the Salkum Library ended up arrested the driver who was reportedly intoxicated. The pair at the 2400 block of U.S. Highway 12 were woken up and Jeffrey D. Swett was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for being in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

WRECKS

• An 18-year-old motorist was hospitalized with minor injuries after her vehicle landed on its top partially submerged in a creek on the 800 block of North Gold Street in Centralia on Saturday evening. Centralia police say the young woman crawled out and walked to a friend’s house. She was subsequently cited for driving without a license and other infractions, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 27-year-old Rochester man was arrested for driving under the influence after he lost control of his vehicle and struck two fences in the area of B Street in Centralia on Friday. Jeremiah R. Reed was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, protection order violation, driving with suspended license, driving under the influence, misdemeanor assault; responses for alarms, collisions, shoplifting, stolen bicycles, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances, possible scam phone call, investigating a report of sexual assault; concerns about kitten stuck in blackberry bushes, sick possum in a yard … and more.

News brief: Randle man assaulted with hatchet, suspect at large

Monday, November 4th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Deputies are looking for a man who allegedly attacked an acquaintance with a hatchet during an argument in Randle on Friday evening.

The 31-year-old Randle man reportedly then used the small axe to smash out the rear window of the victim’s vehicle, which he subsequently stole.

The sheriff’s office believes Robert J. Spradlin, 31, may be in the company of his girlfriend, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said this morning.

Deputies called about 7 p.m. to the 200 block of Savio Road were told that Spradlin and the 54-year-old man were arguing when the suspect picked up the hatchet and started swinging it, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He then allegedly used its blunt end to strike the man repeatedly in the back and ribs, Brown said.

The victim escaped by hiding; Spradlin fled into the woods, Brown said.

The victim was transported to Morton General Hospital, but then transferred to a hospital in Vancouver as his injuries were worse than initially thought, according to Brown.

Brown said Spradlin returned later to Savio Road, threatened his parents, stole the keys and then took off in the victim’s vehicle. Brown said she didn’t yet know the model or make of the vehicle.

The sheriff’s office asks anyone who knows his whereabouts to immediately call 748-9286.

News brief: Falling tree top kills hunter near Packwood

Monday, November 4th, 2013
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Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A hunter is dead after the top of an old growth tree snapped off and dropped about 100 feet onto a tent east of Packwood over the weekend.

The 20-foot length missed one of his companions by inches, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies called about 3 p.m. on Saturday to the elk hunting camp say the victim is a 69-year-old man from Kirkland.

It happened at the Cortright Creek Trailhead off Forest Service Road 45 several miles northeast of Packwood, according to the sheriff’s office.

The two had just returned to the tent after the morning hunt when the incident occurred about 2:30 p.m., Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.

The man’s hunting partner was able to crawl through the debris to locate the victim who had been struck in the head; CPR was attempted but unsuccessful, Brown said.

2013.1104.treetopmissingDSCN1093

Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.