Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated at 7:30 p.m.

CHEHALIS BURGLARY SUSPECT FOUND IN CENTRALIA

• A 26-year-old Chehalis man was arrested yesterday evening not long after a burglary on the 1900 block of South Schueber Road outside Chehalis. The 72-year-old resident discovered the break-in about 4 p.m. and found that someone had not only stolen jewelry, a laptop computer and a drill, but her 2003 Ford F150 pickup was gone, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. While deputies were investigating, a family member spotted the vehicle parked in a driveway on the 1800 block of Military Road in Centralia, according to the sheriff’s office. Arriving law enforcement officers asked who it belonged to and someone pointed out Brandon D. Woody, Sgt. Rob Snaza said. Woody was booked into the Lewis County Jail and subsequently charged with theft of a motor vehicle and residential burglary. The items were all recovered, Snaza said. Bail was set at $25,000 for the unemployed former Kelso resident pending trial.

NO PRIZE FOR CENTRALIA RESIDENT

• Centralia police took a report yesterday from the 2400 block of Leisure Lane regarding an individual who was tricked into sending money – supposedly for the taxes – to claim a car they were told they won. It started with a phone call to the victim, according to the Centralia Police Department.

SHOPLIFT TURNS INTO FELONY

• A pair of 43-year-olds from Winlock were arrested at Wal-Mart last night after they allegedly took a Rug Doctor from the store, put it in a cart and presented it to customer service for a refund. An officer called about 7:25 p.m. to the retailer on the 1600 block of Louisiana Avenue in Chehalis learned the couple was given a gift card, instead of cash, and booked Tamrick A. Torres and Donna L. Volk into the Lewis County Jail for unlawful factoring of a transaction, a class C felony, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The amount is listed at $398. They were each charged with the same offense and released on $5,000 signature bonds pending trial.

SEX CRIME

• A local contractor who bought The Curtis Store after the devastating flood of 2007 was arrested yesterday for an alleged sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Benjamin E. Hearn, 35, was arrested after an investigation that began on Tuesday about alleged events that began in 2012, according to charges filed today in Lewis County Superior Court. He is charged with third-degree rape of a child, a class C felony. When he went before a judge this afternoon, his bail was set at a $25,000 signature bond co-signed by a relative. Judge Richard Brosey forbade Hearn to do any “Facebooking” about the alleged victim, and said if he sees any denigrating of her by anyone in Hearn’s family, Hearn may find himself back in custody. His arraignment was set for Jan. 23.

COLLISION

• A pedestrian was struck by the front passenger corner of a pickup truck turning left onto South Market Boulevard in Chehalis yesterday evening when she stepped off the curb to cross the street. Police and aid called to the scene at Sixth Street about 5:45 p.m. said it was dark and the driver didn’t see her. The 56-year-old Chehalis woman was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital and then transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for a brain contusion, according to responders. It was a fairly low speed impact, according to the fire department. The 31-year-old driver from Chehalis had a green light and she had “walk” signal, according to the Chehalis Police Department. He was cited, police said.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving with suspended license; responses for alarms, non-injury collisions … and more.

Updated at 6:26 p.m.

300 POUND NUDE DUDE GETS AWAY

• It was the middle of the night in Morton when two officers pulled over an erratically driven vehicle. As the driver began to get out of his car, Deputy Susan Shannon noticed he was entirely nude. He said, he just wanted to stop and say hello, and that he had to go home now. An attempt to get him to stick around with a Taser failed to connect. The man got back in the vehicle, put it in gear and drove off, blowing through a stop sign at 40 mph and then heading east on U.S. Highway 12. With emergency lights flashing, both in marked patrol cars, Shannon and Morton Police Officer Perry Royale pursued the naked motorist at speeds up to 80 mph toward White Pass, but finally gave up for safety reasons. Since they knew he lived in Yakima, they figured he was probably headed home. So say the charging documents that were filed after the August 17th event. The man believed to be the unclothed driver appeared in Lewis County Superior Court yesterday, where his lawyer asked for a continuance. Sam Groberg told the judge he finally got a chance to sit down and discuss the case, and some of its odd facts, with his client earlier in the day. “I think it would be beneficial for him to talk to someone, such as Dr. Trowbridge,” Groberg said, referencing a state psychiatrist. “You mean, you’re wondering about his mental state, at the time this allegedly occurred?” the judge asked. Yes, was the response. Joshua L. Hunter, who is free on bail, is charged with one count of attempting to elude. The 40-year-old Yakima resident, whose information lists him at 6-feet 5-inches tall and 300 pounds, was identified by the deputy through his vehicle registration and a photo on his driver’s license. Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg had no objection to postponing the trial. “It’s apparent this is a plausible defense,” he said. The matter was rescheduled for April.

CAR PROWL BIG AND SMALL

• Someone broke into a vehicle on the 800 block of Hillburger Road west of Chehalis and stole a tool valued at more than $18,000, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The item, a locator used to identify utility lines in construction areas, was taken sometime between 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 6:30 a.m. yesterday, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A deputy was called about 4 p.m. yesterday to the 900 block of Shorey Road west of Chehalis where about $300 worth of tools including a Dewalt drill were stolen from a vehicle.

• Someone entered an unlocked vehicle and took a small amount of change and cigarettes at the 1100 block of Creekside Court in Centralia, according to a report made to police yesterday.

EMPLOYEE THEFT

• An officer was called to a business on the 1600 block of Louisiana Avenue about 2 p.m. yesterday regarding suspected theft by an employee involving falsified transactions of more than $2,500, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The case was referred to prosecutors to consider a charge of second-degree theft, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

PHONE THEFTS

• Centralia police responded about 7:30 a.m. today to the ATT store on the 1200 block of Lum Road to a report two males had smashed a window and stole several several cell phones on display. The case is still under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Yesterday afternoon, an officer took a report of two cell phones stolen from a business on the 1100 block of Johnson Road in Centralia.

OTHER THEFT

• Chehalis police were contacted yesterday morning about a steam cleaner stolen from inside a gated area on the 500 block of West Main Street.

• Someone stole a portable propane tank from the 400 block of Centralia College Boulevard sometime between 6:30 a.m. yesterday and about 2 p.m., according to the Centralia Police Department.

ARREST FOR GIVING FALSE NAME

• A 23-year-old Centralia man was jailed following a stop for a traffic violation yesterday afternoon on Mellen Street when an officer concluded the documents he identified himself with were falsified, according to police. Centralia police say Ricardo Perez-Ramirez had a suspended license and an outstanding warrant. The photo was of him, but he said the name on the documents belonged to his uncle in Mexico, Sgt. Stacy Denham said. Perez-Ramirez was booked into the Lewis County Jail for identity theft, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DOMESTIC INCIDENT

• A 23-year-old Chehalis resident was arrested for misdemeanor assault after a woman called 911 last night to report her son pushed her against the wall, trying to “get the demons out of her,” according to police. An officer subsequently contacted Drake A. Lorber and booked him into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving with suspended license, violation of anti-harassment or protection orders, underage drinking; responses for alarms, suspicious vehicle, misdemeanor theft, minor injury collision, prescription medication that could be stolen or just misplaced, possibly stolen computer equipment, a homeless person camping out with a sleeping bag and suitcases, female either passed out or sleeping in a parking lot … and more.