Lewis County Sirens.com

VEHICLE PROWL

• Deputies responded about 6 a.m. yesterday to the 500 block of River Road outside Chehalis where a pair of individuals camping along the river with people unknown to them said belongings were stolen out of their vehicle. Missing were a wallet, a coin purse, a pill box and a medical bag with unspecified supplies, some of which were found in the vehicle belonging to Mark S. Chesler, 33, of Centralia, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He denied he took them, but was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for vehicle prowl and theft, according to the sheriff’s office.

DRUGS

• Police were called about 2:40 p.m. yesterday to a report of stolen prescription medications at the 900 block of F Street in Centralia.

• A 22-year-old Centralia man brought to the Lewis County Jail early yesterday by a Thurston County deputy on a warrant found himself in further trouble when during an intake process, a baggie containing a white substance fell out of his pocket. A deputy responding just after 6 a.m. contacted Cole E. Taylor and found the material field tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

VANDALISM

• A deputy took a report yesterday evening that someone entered a shop building on the 1200 block of Centralia-Alpha Road and broke the windshield and rear window from an El Camino.

CITATIONS FOR PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES OF ANIMALS

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning that a 53-year-old woman was bit by a Pit Bull when she tried to break up a dog fight early Saturday morning at Ike Kinswa Park.

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning that last Thursday when a 57-year-old Onalaska man was checking his mail, he was bit by a dog that advanced on him, forcing him into a ditch. He was wounded above his knee cap. The pet was a Dalamation-Labrador-Pit Bull mix, according to the sheriff’s office.

WRECK

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported today that a 62-year-old Chehalis woman driving a Buick  Sedan turned in front of a motorcyclist on Sunday near Chehalis, causing the victim to lay down his bike. It happened at the 400 block of Bunker Creek Road and the 71-year-old Aberdeen man suffered abrasions to his left arm and leg, according to the sheriff’s office.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, misdemeanor assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, failure to register as a sex offender; responses for alarms, dispute, broken windows … and more.

Updated at 7:20 p.m.

TWO CHILDREN RESCUED FROM RIVER

• Two little boys who could not swim and ended up in water over the heads yesterday afternoon in the Skookumchuck River were pulled to safety by a pair of individuals at Rotary Riverside Park in Centralia. Firefighters called to the area about 3:10 p.m. found the children, ages 6 and 7, sitting up and talking but very scared, according to Riverside Fire Authority. Capt Erik Olson said estimates of the length of time they were submerged ranged from 20 seconds to two minutes and if not for the good samaritans, they most likely would have drowned. There were a lot of people enjoying the swimming area and a male and female noticed the little ones struggling and then go under the water, he said. The river is moving quickly enough to drag away an adult, even this time of year, he said. The boys were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital to be checked out, according to Olson.

SHERIFF: MAN THREATENS TO CUT GIRLFRIEND OPEN

• A 43-year-old Ethel man angry about getting woken up by his live-in girlfriend allegedly kicked their dog and chased her with a pocketknife, telling her he was going to slice her up and put the dog inside of her. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports Jerry D. Armstrong told the 27-year-old woman he would kill her if he caught her on Thursday evening at their home on the 2200 block of U.S. Highway 12 but she called 911 from a location in Onalaska. She said she had arrived home from shopping and had rattled the locked door, according to the sheriff’s office. When deputies contacted the 43-year-old man at his home, he was highly intoxicated, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail for felony harassment but was expected to be seen in Lewis County District Court today where they handle misdemeanors.

SHERIFF: GLENOMA MAN RAMS CAR

• A 62-year-old Glenoma man was arrested at his home on Saturday after a brief standoff during which he reportedly presented himself wearing a large knife on his hip, pulled it from its sheath and threw it into the bed of his truck. Deputies arrived at the residence of Lyle R. West about 3:30 p.m. and tried to call him out using a PA system, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Criminal Deputy Stacy Brown said they went there because around 2 p.m., West had rammed a vehicle in a driveway on the 1000 block of Peters Road in Randle when asked what he was doing there, and knocked a 34-year-old man backward with his fender as he turned to leave. Brown said deputies heard West was trying to get a firearm to confront police and that earlier in the day he had been traveling in excess 100 mph on a motorcycle on U.S. Highway 12 passing cars on the shoulder. Deputies were able to take West into custody and booked him into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree assault, according to the sheriff’s office. On the way there, in a patrol car, he allegedly repeatedly threatened to kill a deputy, Brown said. He was also booked for felony harassment and hit and run, according to the sheriff’s office.

DISPUTE

• Three Centralia residents were arrested when police responded about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday to the 100 block of South Ash Street. Robert P. Alexander, 35, was booked for fourth-degree assault, Aaron J. Alexander, 22, of Centralia, was cited for the same as well as third-degree malicious mischief and then released; and Kayla J. Cambren, 25, of Centralia, was arrested and booked for violation of a no contact order, according to the Centralia Police Department.

BURGLARY CENTRALIA

• Police were called about 7:30 p.m. yesterday to the 300 block of West Cherry Street regarding the theft of a lawn mower, a table and other items from a vacant house.

THEFT MOSSYROCK

• A 1992 Kawasaki motorcycle went missing from a covered storage area beside a house on the 200 block of Mossyrock Road West in Mossyrock, Morton police reported today. The $1,700 bike  was reported stolen a week ago, and vanished sometime in the previous two weeks, according to police.

CAMPGROUND BATHROOM PILFERING

• A 58-year-old Vancouver woman woman reported her bag of prescription drugs were taken while she was cleaning up in a busy campground bathroom on Friday, at the 200 block of Ajlune Road outside Mossyrock. The loss is estimated at $80, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A 55-year-old Centralia man reported to the sheriff’s office that while he showered at a campground restroom on the 100 block of Beach Road near, someone went through the pockets of his pants he set outside the shower door and took his wallet, containing a driver’s license, bank card, social security card and medical cards, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning.

GNOME-BE-GONE

• Morton police today reported a hand-carved wooden gnome went missing from a fenced yard on the 500 block of Division Street sometime before last Monday. The approximate value is listed at $250, according to police.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police took a report of a vehicle prowl in which someone stole a firearm while the victim was inside shopping at the 500 block of Harrison Avenue just before 9 a.m. on Saturday.

• Police were called about 11:35 a.m. on Friday to the 400 block of North Ash Street in Centralia regarding an overnight vehicle prowl.

DRUGS

• Centralia police say a 40-year-old Centralia man resisted arrest for a warrant on Friday afternoon at the 300 block of South Silver Street and had to be Tased. Richard D. Thoreson reportedly tried to dispose of a bag of methamphetamine but it was found by officers, according to the Centralia Police Department. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• Jason R. Dunham, 30, of Chehalis, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and an outstanding warrant after a deputy responded to a report of a no-contact order violation on Friday night at the 1600 block of J Street in Centralia. A deputy found a glass pipe with white residue which field-tested positive for met, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Dunham booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

LOST AND FOUND

• Morton police reported today that officers were called to a residence in the 100 block of Mossyrock Road West at about 5:40 p.m. on Thursday to help locate a missing child.  After searching the area, the child was located sleeping in a tent in the back yard, according to the Morton Police Department.

FIRE DEPARTMENT LEVY QUESTIONS?

• The board of commissioners for the fire department which protects Centralia and its surrounding area will hold one of its regular meetings on Wednesday night at the Lincoln Creek Grange so that afterward they can hold a public meeting to discuss the upcoming new levy. The gathering for usual business begins at 5 p.m. and then after adjournment, at 6:30 p.m., the topic will turn to Riverside Fire Authority’s maintenance and operations levy. It’s the first of three public meetings in which the department hopes to impart information and answer questions about its budget and why it is proposing a new tax.

SEMI RUNS INTO CAR

• A 44-year-old Mossyrock man was hospitalized after a semi truck plowed into the back of his Ford Thunderbird when he stopped to make a left turn off U.S. Highway 12 this morning. Troopers called about 10:40 a.m. to the scene eight miles east of Morton report the car was totaled and Johnny O. Jacobson was transported to Morton General Hospital. The 2006 Mack tractor- trailer combination sustained some damage but was able to be driven from the scene, according to the Washington State Patrol. Its driver, Jacob V. Hoffman, 25, from Silver Lake, is to be cited for second-degree negligent driving because of inattention, according to the state patrol. He was not injured, the investigating trooper indicated.

SEMI RUNS INTO SEMI

• A 2001 Peterbilt semi was described as totaled after it rear-ended a 2002 International tow truck about 1:30 a.m. today on Interstate 5 roughly four miles north of Toledo. Troopers responding report both big rigs were traveling northbound in the right lane near milepost 65. Bryson T. WIlson, 33, from Portland, was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol. His International was removed by Carl’s Towing. Daniel J. Cundiff, 50, from Sacramento, was reportedly uninjured. The collision remains under investigation, according to the state patrol.

MOTORCYCLIST RUNS INTO RIDING PARTNER

• A pair of Centralia resident traveling side by side on Harley Davidsons up Interstate 5 south of Chehalis yesterday afternoon collided when the one on the left side went to exit at northbound 72 and struck the one on the right. Troopers called about 3:30 p.m. blamed 47-year-old Matthew A. Hardin for inattention. He was reportedly unhurt but Christiana E. Hardin by taken by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol. His was a 2006 Harley Davidson XL1020 and her was a 2003 XL883, according to the state patrol. He will be cited for improper lane travel, according to the investigating trooper.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving under the influence, reckless endangerment, possession of marijuana by a minor; responses for alarms, dispute, suspicious circumstances, misdemeanor assault, violation of a restraining order, misdemeanor theft, collision on city street; complaints of noisy fireworks, thirsty dog, howling dog, overheated dogs in vehicles … and more.

Updated at 7:45 p.m.

SHERIFF WON’T LET YOU BAIL OUT IF YOU GET CAUGHT DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

• Extra deputies will be on patrol this holiday weekend, looking for impaired drivers since today is traditionally one of the most deadly days of the year on the nation’s roads, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Americans love to celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, food and fireworks, but too often alcohol turns the party into a tragedy, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. Sheriff Steve Mansfield said his office has a zero tolerance policy for those who drink and drive and announced that anyone arrested by a deputy for DUI will be booked in to the jail with no bail allowed until after they are seen by a judge. Mansfield says while death and injury are the most serious of possible consequences of drunk driving, there are other negative considerations that can affect lives for many years, including loss of drivers license, vehicle impoundment, jail time, lawyer fees, court costs, insurance hikes, just to name a few. His advice: If you’re impaired, use a taxi or call a sober friend or family member. If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to call 911.

ASSAULT

• A 39-year-old homeless man was arrested yesterday for second-degree assault following a 3:20 p.m. call to the 2900 block of Mount Vista Road in Centralia. Arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail was George S. Gonzales, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FRAUD

• Centralia police took a report yesterday from the 500 block of North Tower Avenue regarding someone using someone else’s name to open up an unspecified credit line.

FROM THE COURTHOUSE

• A 41-year-old Lacey man pleaded not guilty yesterday in connection with responding to a Craigslist advertisement soliciting sex with a 22-year-old woman and her 13-year-old sister; an ad placed by a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detective. Larry R. White, who works as a financial supervisor at Little Creek Casino, was released a week earlier on a $10,000 unsecured bond the day after his arrest in the parking lot of an apartment on the 2300 block of Jackson Highway in Chehalis. According to charging documents, sheriff’s detective Kevin Engelbertson exchanged emails with White over a two-day period and when the subject arrived on the morning of June 25, he was met by three deputies. White allegedly said told the detective the deal was for $100 but he only brought $75 and hoped not pay any money, according to the charging documents. He also admitted being nervous and knowing it was wrong, charging documents state. He was charged the following day with second-degree attempted child molestation.

SUNSHINE AND GLASS

• The cause of a fire Tuesday on Hopp Road east of Toledo will be listed as undetermined but the fire investigator said he considered the possibility the blazing sun through a window may have reflected off something inside, causing a magnifying glass effect. The evening fire started in a small shed attached to a larger shop-barn building and more than two dozen firefighters fought to extinguish it and prevent it from spreading to the nearby home. The barn building was described as probably a total loss, but much of its contents were believed to be salvageable, according to Lewis County Fire District 2 Chief Grant Wiltbank. Fire Investigator Ted McCarty said this morning he could find no other reason for the fire, with no fireworks being lit in the area and no one having been in the building for awhile.

SPINNING BUMBLEBEE BLAMED FOR FIRE

• Flames reportedly climbed as much as 20 feet beyond the tops of three medium-sized cedar trees that caught fire next to a house for sale in a Centralia neighborhood yesterday, caused by a spinning bumblebee firework a teenager had lit off in the road. “It landed in the debris under the trees,” Riverside Fire Authority Capt. Casey McCarthy said. Arriving firefighters stopped it from spreading to the residence, which was roughly 15 feet away, he said. Part of a wood fence burned, but nobody was injured, he said. The location of the 4:20 p.m. call was the corner of Plum and Cedar streets.

FOR LATER ON

• The state fire marshal is already offering advice for post-fireworks activities. State Fire Marshal Chuck Duffy reminds residents that used fireworks can leave behind a great deal of debris, and its proper cleanup can help reduce the risk of an injury or fire. “If you have unused consumer fireworks, it is best to discharge the remaining fireworks during the legal discharge dates for your community,” Duffy states in a news release. More suggestions: Don’t put used fireworks into any paper or plastic bag, until after they’ve been soaked in a bucket of water for 15 minutes. Then place them into a metal garbage can, he says. And check the area again in the morning, as remaining fireworks debris can easily be overlooked in the dark, he says.

WRECK

• A 59-year-old Mineral resident driving a Ford Crown Victoria southbound on state Route 7 swerved into the oncoming lane striking the side of a Ford F250 pickup truck about noon today sending both drivers to the hospital. Troopers called to the scene about a mile and a half north of Morton report both vehicles were damaged but offered no explanation for why the man swerved. Harold D. Vogel, and Mitchell G. Robinson, 51, from Onalaska, were transported by ambulance to Morton General Hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol. No alcohol or drugs were suspected to be involved, according to the investigating trooper.

AND MORE

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