Lewis County Sirens.com

ARMED VICTIM FOILS CARJACKING

• A Chehalis man thwarted an attempted car jacking yesterday evening by pulling a pistol from his hip, scaring the would-be robber away. Police said the 22-year-old was parked behind the library on Northeast Washington Avenue looking at his phone when just after 6 p.m., a male pretending to have a weapon in his jacket, reached through the partially open window of the Jeep Cherokee and said “Surprise n*****, give me your car,” according to police. The subject saw the weapon come up and ran, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Officers checked the area but did not find their suspect, Officer Linda Bailey said. He is described as about 5-feet 8-inches tall, with dark hair wearing a dark jacket and blue jeans, according to Bailey. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police or Lewis County Crime Stoppers, Bailey said.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police took a report yesterday of a vehicle prowl from the 3200 block of Galvin Road in which a bag containing an iPad was taken. The vehicle had been unlocked, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Someone slashed two tires on a vehicle parked outside a residence on the 400 block of North Ash Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police just after 8 p.m. yesterday.

COLLISION

• A stretch of roadway in Centralia was closed this morning after a motorist ran onto a fire hydrant at about 6:30 a.m. Police and aid called to the area where West Main Street turns into Harrison Avenue found the Chehalis man was not injured but the “leaking” flooded the street for a period of time, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants;
responses for alarm, shoplifting, violation of no contact order, trespassing, inquiry about a protection order, subject digging through a dumpster … and more.

The driver escaped before his car went up in smoke. / Courtesy image by Carl Weiks

DRIVER ESCAPES CAR FIRE

• A column of smoke rising from Interstate 5 north of Centralia yesterday was a burning passenger car. Firefighters called about 3:30 p.m. to the southbound shoulder near the Lewis-Thurston county line extinguished the fire, according to Riverside Fire Authority. “From what I understand, the operator was just driving along, noticed smoke coming from under the hood and pulled over,” Capt. Greg Schwartz said. The driver began to remove some of his belongings from the vehicle and had to be checked by medics, but was okay, Schwartz said. An electrical issue was suspected, the car was destroyed, he said.

BURGLARY

• Chehalis police were called about 9:30 p.m. yesterday about medication stolen from the 1100 block of Southeast Washington Avenue from an unlocked residence.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, shoplifting; responses for alarm, disputes, suspicious circumstances, runaway teen, series of loud booms, individual threatening suicide, child playing on phone and dialing 911, delusional neighbor without medicine, suspected theft of a can of “chew” that subsequently turned up, intoxicated guy pounding on the door of a residence with his pants around his ankles … and more.

Police apprehend a man who ran off from them at the AM/PM gas station on 13th Street in Chehalis. / Courtesy photo by Angie Denney

Updated

MAN FLEES POLICE, ONTO FREEWAY

• Traffic came to a halt as police chased a detainee who slipped away from them at a gas station on 13th Street in Chehalis and ran onto Interstate 5 crossing nearly to the opposite shoulder before he was taken into custody yesterday. It began about 10:20 a.m. when Chehalis police got a call from Green Hill School giving them a heads up about an employee acting strangely and being made to leave the juvenile detention facility, according to police. Less than an hour later, a 911 caller said the man was behind the counter at the AM/PM across the street and wouldn’t leave, according to Sgt. Rick McNamara. The approximately 6-foot 7-inch tall individual was acting as though he worked there and was scaring people, Sgt. Gary Wilson said. Arriving officers attempted to Tase him, but he jumped over the counter and ran off, police said. He headed northbound on foot, crossed the center barrier and was trying to stop cars. “He was non-compliant and not completely with it,” Wilson said. Finally, as an officer pointed a bean bag shotgun at him in the center of the freeway, he did what he was told, according to Wilson. Wellington M. Waggener, 24, of Centralia, was taken to the hospital to be cleared and then was booked into the Lewis County Jail for obstructing and resisting arrest, according to police.

TRUCK SWITCH INVESTIGATED

• Centralia police took a report yesterday afternoon of a blue 2003 Ford F-350 pickup stolen from where it was parked on Caveness near the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue. Nearby, they found an abandoned white Ford pickup which turned out to be stolen from Portland, Ore., leading them to suspect a connection, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, misdemeanor assault; responses for collision, protection order violation, possible burglary and misdemeanor theft including a three-wheeled, pedal-powered Green Machine from a yard on the 300 block of Wilding Street in Centralia  … and more.

•••

CORRECTION: The item about the 24-year-old man chased onto the freeway has been updated to reflect the correct timing of events.

Updated at 10:40 a.m.

CAT SURVIVES TWO-STORY FALL DOWN CHIMNEY

• The sound of prancing and pawing on the roof was not reindeer and the one dressed all in fur from his head to his foot who dropped down the chimney was not Santa. Firefighters were called yesterday afternoon to a two-story house on the 300 block of South Gold Street in Centralia, asked to help remove a family pet from inside a chimney. “I was a little hesitant because it was kind of out of the scope of what we normally do,” Riverside Fire Authority Capt. Scott Snyder said. But after talking with the young woman, he knew they could probably help, he said this morning. On Christmas Day, they heard meowing inside the flu, Snyder said. The cat apparently sleeps on top of the chimney and had fallen about 25 feet, he said. The teenage owner of the 9-year-old kitty was ready for them to tear apart the fireplace and chimney, but it was hand built with river rock and volcanic rock, and was something that could not easily be repaired, according to Snyder. “We did a little detective work, dismantled the propane heater fireplace insert, removed some flashing and fished the cat out,” he said. The feline had been resting on a shelf inside the flu, miraculously keeping warm but not succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning as the heater had been run, according to Snyder. The cat was a little sooty, a little scared, but otherwise fine, Snyder said. “He managed to come out in pretty good condition,” he said. “That family was very happy.”

THEFT

• Centralia police were called about 10:30 a.m. yesterday to the parking lot of a motel on the 1000 block of Eckerson Road following the discovery someone had broken into a Schwan’s frozen food delivery truck. The prowler had forced open the doors and left with $300 worth of product, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 6-foot by 10-foot utility trailer was reported stolen yesterday from the 800 block of E Street in Centralia.

• Police took a report about 6:30 p.m. from the 100 block of Benjamin Street in Centralia regarding a package containing gifts which had been stolen off a porch.

DRUGS

• A 23-year-old Centralia man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and an outstanding warrant following contact with an officer about 10:40 p.m. yesterday at the 800 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department. Jacob D. Holmgren was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

PEDESTRIAN HIT ON FREEWAY NEAR VADER

• A Longview man is listed in good condition after he was struck by a van on Interstate 5 near Vader this morning. Troopers called about 7:10 a.m. to the area near milepost 58 report a 31-year-old Winlock man driving a 2005 Ford work van southbound moved to the right when he saw the pedestrian come out from the center median area. The pedestrian ran to the westside ditch and then back into the lane where he was hit, according to the Washington State Patrol. John R. Church, 38, of Longview, was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the state patrol. The investigating trooper reports it’s unknown if drugs or alcohol may have been involved. No citation or charges are expected for the driver.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for collisions … and more.

CAR STOLEN FROM U.S. TREASURY STOPPED IN CHEHALIS

• Police descended upon the Chehalis Industrial Park area last night after a teenager fled a stolen car pulled over on Interstate 5. Trooper Tara Hicks said it was around 6:20 p.m. when she stopped the northbound vehicle near milepost 73 for failing to keep right except for passing. There were four occupants, but one of them ran away, according to Hicks. A Chehalis police dog and its partner subsequently located the 18-year-old suspect – from Antioch, Calif. – in the area of Jackson Highway and Rush Road, police said. He was taken to the hospital to be treated and was booked into the Lewis County Jail along with two others. A juvenile male was booked at the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center. Hicks said the 2007 Buick Lucerne belonged to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and was listed stolen out of Pittburg, Calif. Prosecutors declined to file charges and the three adults were scheduled to be released from jail this afternoon. Hicks said the investigation is ongoing.

DRUGS

• A 33-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and an outstanding warrant following contact with an officer about 5 o’clock this morning at the 600 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department. Jesse T. Anderson was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

VEHICLE PROWL

• Centralia police took a report yesterday from the 1400 block of Logan Street regarding a car prowl that occurred sometime during the night on Monday. A purse was stolen, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Someone poured antifreeze into the gas tank of a car at the 100 block of Mayfield Court near Mossyrock sometime between 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. yesterday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The damage is estimated at $4,000, according to the sheriff’s office.

• Someone broke out the rear window of a car at the 1800 block of North Pearl Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police yesterday morning.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, disorderliness, protection order violation, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances … and more.