Archive for August, 2015

News brief: Mineral woman dies when motorcycle wrecks

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 52-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a single-vehicle accident yesterday evening in Mineral, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

It happened about 7:15 p.m. on the 700 block of Mineral Creek Road, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said this morning.

The woman was traveling northbound and it appeared she had been going too fast at a right sweeping curve, according to Brown. Her 1997 Harley Davidson left the road, went through a barbed wire fence and came to rest in an open field, Brown said.

The 52-year-old Mineral woman was pronounced dead at the scene. She wasn’t wearing a helmet, according to the sheriff’s office.

News brief: Questions unanswered on why infant was ejected in Jackson Highway crash

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said it’s not clear exactly what caused a baby to be ejected from the car in the wreck that left its driver dead on Sunday evening south of Chehalis.

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Jackson Highway, Chehalis

Deputies and firefighters responded just before 9:45 p.m. to the single-vehicle collision along the 3100 block of Jackson Highway.

Kelsie Gonzalez, 31, of Chehalis, was dead at the scene and her infant passenger was found outside of the car.

Newaukum Valley Fire and Rescue Firefighter Brad Bozarth said the car hit a fence, a parked van and couple of trees before coming to rest against another tree, in someone’s yard.

The sheriff’s office’s initial information was Gonzalez was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed, and went airborne after striking a ditch.

Sheriff’s Cmdr. Dusty Breen said the 1-year-old’s car seat was still inside the 1990 Acura and secured in the car, but the straps which would have been holding the baby to its car seat were not fastened.

“Based on this it is unclear where the child was and how the exact ejection of the child occurred,” Breen indicated.

He said the baby was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where it was still undergoing treatment the following morning. He didn’t know if the child was a girl or a boy.

Breen said he expected to know more by Friday, as the investigating deputy would be finishing the report after days off.

The Lewis County Coroner’s Office said Gonzalez died from internal injuries from the impact.

News brief: Law enforcement impostor harassing citizens with phone calls

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The Washington State Patrol is warning the public they believe their headquarters’ telephone has been compromised.

The state patrol says they’ve received 30 complaints from citizens saying they were phoned by someone who identified themselves as a trooper.

The apparent trooper impersonator has accused those who’ve answered the calls of various violations including outstanding warrants, unpaid tickets, and unpaid school taxes, according to state patrol Capt. Monica Alexander.

The state patrol does not call people to collect fines or advise of such things, according to Alexander.

She says they are currently working to remedy the problem and advises the public if they get such a call to do the following:

• Do not answer any questions
• Do not agree to pay any fines
• Do not share any personal information
• Hang up the telephone

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015
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•••

BIKE PURSUIT

• A 49-year-old wanted man was apprehended this morning after allegedly stealing a bicycle from someone’s garage and trying to flee police. It began about 7:40 a.m. at the 1400 block of Johnson Road in Centralia and ended in the area of Russell Road, according to the Centralia Police Department. Booked into the Lewis County Jail for his warrant was Robert D. Ager, from Pierce County, police said.

FIGHTING IN PUBLIC

• Two individuals were arrested overnight for disorderly conduct and obstructing after police responded to a report of a fight at Main and Gold street in Centralia. Officers called about 12:45 a.m. found two males pushing and shoving each other and when they tried to break it up, a woman got in their way, according to the Centralia Police Department. Booked into the Lewis County Jail were Taylor R. Lively, age 21, and Victoria K. Miller, age 21, according to police.

DRUG INVESTIGATION

• Detectives searching a residence for drugs yesterday on the 500 block of Woodland Avenue in Centralia arrested three individuals, according to the Centralia Police Department. The search warrant was obtained in connection with an investigation by a joint narcotics enforcement team made up of personnel from local agencies, according to police. Booked into the Lewis County Jail on unspecified drug offenses were Gary Weist, 63; Debra M Weist, 58; and Kimberly J. Bartley, 47, according to police. Gary Weist however was immediately released because of serious health issues, police report.

PORCH FIRE

• Chehalis firefighters called about 3:15 p.m. yesterday to a fire at Southwest William Avenue at Sixth Street found a fence that ran the length of two yards burning as well as the porch on one of the homes. There was some smoke in the attic of the home and the damage estimated at about $10,000 according to the Chehalis Fire Department. Nobody was hurt and the flames were extinguished within six minutes of their notification, according to the fire department.

ON THE ROAD

• Police and aid were called just before 5 p.m. yesterday for a collision between a car and a moped at the 1500 block of North National Avenue in Chehalis. One person was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital with a possible broken leg, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, probation violation; responses for dispute, angry customer, misdemeanor  theft, suspicious circumstances, theft of grocery cart, collision on city street, dog alone inside presumably too-hot vehicle, possibly intoxicated pedestrian stumbling around, harassing phone calls from ex about child visitation … and more.

Chehalis area wildfire knocked down but not contained

Wednesday, August 5th, 2015
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Two helicopters drop water as dozens of firefighters on the ground work to stop a fire off Centralia-Alpha Road. / Courtesy photo by Lori Nelsen

Updated at 12:43 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A fire of unknown origin broke out southeast of Chehalis yesterday, growing to approximately 12 acres as it consumed brush and trees.

“The fire is knocked down, there’s not active fire now,” Chuck Turley, assistant manager of the Pacific Cascade Region of the state Department of Natural Resources said this morning. “We’re trying to keep it that way.”

Local firefighters called around 3 p.m. yesterday to the area roughly a half mile north of the intersection of Centralia-Alpha Road and North Fork Road headed towards a large smoke column and found a fairly large brush fire, Lewis County Fire District 6 Chief Tim Kinder said.

“We concentrated on a small farm at risk of being taken down,” Kinder said.

Crews from rural Chehalis, Napavine and Onalaska protected the small house until personnel from DNR arrived, he said.

DNR put into service more than 40 firefighters, a bulldozer and two helicopters which dropped water on the flames. A helicopter is on standby this morning.

The wind was swirling up above and constantly changing directions, Kinder said. “And it was a lot of heavy, thick brush.”

The active fire was knocked down last night and the last tender crew from Lewis County Fire District 6 was released about 7 o’clock this morning. Crews with two tenders from Newaukum Valley Fire and Rescue were on the scene this morning, Kinder said.

Turley said they’ve dug a line around all but about 300 feet and consider it 60 percent contained this morning.

Fueling the blaze was standing timber as well as relatively newly planted trees, he said, with lots of blackberries and lots of salal.

It’s the third time in a week fire has sprung up on the property. Turley said his crews were out there last Tuesday and Wednesday.

“All I’ll say about that is the cause is under investigation,” he said.

Approximately 50 DNR personnel are working out there today, he said.

Turley said the lower temperatures and that the relative humidity came up overnight were helpful.

He’s expecting a four to five day reprieve with the weather and then on Tuesday it’s forecast to get very hot again, he said.

Turley said he’s not sure how much longer they will be out there.

“I would imagine it will take more than just today to get it completely controlled,” he said.

It was just last Friday when the Commissioner of Public Lands urged the public to take the utmost care not to spark fires, citing a combination of worsening conditions and the probability of multiple large fires by mid-week.

Seven active large fires are burning in the state currently, including one that broke out about 1 p.m. yesterday in Klickitat County and is already approximately 10,000 acres, according to authorities. That blaze, near the town of Roosevelt in south Central Washington called the Highway 8 Fire, is threatening 350 homes and evacuation orders have been put in place.

Several local firefighters departed yesterday evening to help out, including two from Newaukum Valley Fire and Rescue, three from West Thurston Regional Fire Authority and two from Thurston County Fire District 12.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Tuesday, August 4th, 2015
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•••

BREAK-IN CENTRALIA

• Police were called at 11 p.m. yesterday about a burglary to a residence on the 1000 block of K Street in Centralia. The victim returned home after being gone since Friday and found various valuables missing, including clothing, a purse and a laptop computer, according to the Centralia Police Department. They are still putting together a list of their stolen property, police said. There was no sign of forced entry, and the investigation is ongoing, according to police.

THEFT FROM YARD

• Centralia police were called about noon yesterday regarding the theft of a BMX-style bicycle from the backyard area of an apartment complex on the 300 block of Centralia College Boulevard. The bike had bright pink hand grips on it, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FRAUD

• Police were contacted last night by an individual at the 1000 block of Scammon Creek Road in Centralia who discovered someone used her credit card number to cause a charge on her bill of about $100.

VEHICLE PROWL

• Chehalis police took a report yesterday morning of a car prowl that happened overnight at Jack-in-the-Box on the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue. The vehicle had been left unlocked and a wallet was taken, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

DRUGS

• A 31-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for possession of methamphetamine after contact with police at the 1400 block of Harrison Avenue at about 10:15 p.m. yesterday. Aaron M. Lopez 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, misdemeanor assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, driving without required ignition interlock device; responses for alarm, dispute, attempted shoplifting, collision on city street, dog alone inside presumably too-hot vehicle, rental business reporting theft of property by a customer, various unfounded reports … and more.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, August 3rd, 2015
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•••

Updated at 3:09 p.m.

WHAT NOT TO DO WITH A NEW TOY

• Chehalis police called to Wal-Mart last night about a male in a a car in the parking lot waving a gun around arrived and ordered him and two juvenile girls out of the vehicle. As he stepped out, what appeared to be a firearm fell to the ground and the 18-year-old was taken into custody, according to the Chehalis Police Department. It was a pellet gun that looked like a real gun that he’d apparently just purchased, detective Sgt. Gary Wilson said. The approximately 9:50 p.m. call to Louisiana Avenue came to a close with the Olympia resident breaking out the passenger window of a patrol car with his head, according to Wilson. Tyler M. Molina was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree malicious mischief as well as two misdemeanors, one of which was unlawful display of a weapon appearing capable of producing bodily harm, Wilson said.

VEHICLE THEFT

• Missing: A 1996 32-foot Winnebago motorhome and a 2001 Ford Mustang, from where they were stored on the 100 block of Middle Fork Road outside Chehalis. The victim discovered the theft about 8 o’clock yesterday morning, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The loss is estimated at $20,000.

BURGLARY WINLOCK

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports this morning it has no suspect information in a Winlock area burglary discovered on Thursday. Missing from a home on the 1400 block of Northwest Kerron Avenue were approximately $2,200 of valuables including jewelry and a camera, according to the sheriff’s office.

BURGLARY CENTRALIA

• Centralia police were called about 10:15 p.m. yesterday to a report of a burglary at the 700 block of Yew Street.

• Someone stole  television, a game console and games from a residence at the 1200 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia, according to  report made to police about 11 a.m. yesterday.

BURGLARY CHEHALIS

• A 34-year-old Chehalis resident was arrested on Friday after he went to the Chehalis Police Department and reportedly confessed to a couple of residential burglaries. He was released from jail today as prosecutors declined to file charges without other evidence, according to authorities.

THEFT MOSSYROCK

• A vender at the Blueberry Festival in Mossyrock reported losing an apron containing about $70 in cash in one of the pockets about 12:15 p.m. yesterday. They also reported seeing a male running away, carrying the apron, according to the Morton Police Department. The case is under investigation.

VEHICLE PROWL

• Someone stole the carburetor off a gas weed eater that was in the back of a pickup truck parked at the 200 block of Main Avenue in Morton, according to a report made to police at about 3 p.m. last Tuesday.

ASSAULT SUSPECT AT LARGE

• Centralia police were called about 4 o’clock this morning regarding an assault and a restraining order violation at the 1200 block of Alder Street.  Officers were unable to locate the suspect, according to the according to the Centralia Police Department.

FIRE IN WINLOCK

• Firefighters called about 10:15 p.m. on Friday to a report of fireworks and flames in Winlock found two areas of burning grass and brush just south of the intersection of King Road and Northwest Dexter Street. “It was pretty active fire behavior for how quick we got there,” Lewis County Fire District 15 Firefighter Patrick Jacobson said. The call came in at 10:15 p.m. and a crew was on the scene two minutes later, Jacobson said. It ended up burning an area of approximately 100 feet by 100 feet, he said. The scene was turned over to the state Department of Natural Resources, he said. Whether it was or was not fireworks that caused it, Jacobson said he did not know. “Most people have a good idea of how dry it is out, but some people don’t,” he said.

INTERSTATE 5 WRECK

• A 49-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were hospitalized yesterday after the car in which they were traveling was rear-ended by a U-Haul truck on Interstate 5 in Centralia. Troopers called about 3:45 p.m. to the northbound lanes near milepost 82 learned the Honda Accord had slowed down and stopped for traffic but the 1990 International truck ran into the back of it, according to the Washington State Patrol. It’s driver, a 40-year-old man from Oregon City was reportedly uninjured. The woman and boy from Federal Way had neck and back pain and were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital mostly as a precaution, according to responders. Both vehicles were still drivable, according to the state patrol.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, disorderly person, misdemeanor theft, child custody issues, anti-harassment order violation, suspicious circumstances, collision on city street, dog alone inside presumably too-hot vehicle, an individual sleeping behind a building, individuals who might be conducting a drug deal, noises that sound like gunshots – or maybe fireworks, harassment by a 10-year-old, continuous chirping over several days that turned out to be a smoke alarm, various unfounded reports … and more.