Lewis County Sirens.com

A corrections officer prepares to take Nelson R. Berquist back down to the Lewis County Jail, even though the prosecutor recommended release.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 77-year-old resident of a Centralia retirement home questioned by police about a small baggie of methamphetamine he told them he had in his room, said he puts it in his coffee in the morning.

Nelson R. Berquist was arrested after the confession he gave at Cooks Hill Manor and then booked into the Lewis County Jail.

The Centralia man who lives on social security was brought to court in a wheelchair yesterday, charged with two felonies.

Lewis County Prosecutor Paul Masiello was prepared to allow Berquist to be released pending trial on a $10,000 signature bond, saying he had no real criminal history. Masiello called it sort of an unusual case.

Temporary defense attorney Joely O’Rourke told the judge she’d never before recommended her client stay in custody, but the assisted living facility had informed her that due to state regulations, they would not allow him back.

“I certainly don’t want to turn him out on the street,” O’Rourke said. “But he’s diabetic, he can barely walk and he needs his medications.”

According to charging documents filed yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court, Centralia police were called to the 2000 block of Cooks Hill Road on Monday for a report a resident was delivering meth to other residents.

Detectives spoke to a woman, not identified as to whether she was a resident or an employee, who told them Berquist met her in a common area, gave her the drug and told her to give it to her son.

They interviewed Berquist, told them why they were there and advised him of his Miranda warnings.

“Berquist admitted to giving Fletcher methamphetamine and he had more in his room,” the documents relate.

Police obtained a search warrant and found a small baggie in a wicker basket.

He said he gave half to her and that was the other half, according to the court documents.

Berquist told the detective he puts meth in his morning coffee, a detective who noted the arrestee seemed to be under the influence of the drug.

The senior citizen is charged with one count of delivery, an offense with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and one count of possession, which could bring as much as five years of incarceration if he were convicted.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt queried the two lawyers yesterday afternoon.

“If he leaves the jail, where does he go?” Hunt asked.

O’Rourke advised the judge she’d also spoken to her client’s son, and her client couldn’t stay there either.

“What about adult protective services? Cascade Mental Health?” Hunt said. “There’s got to be some resource.”

The seeming predicament ended with Hunt reluctantly signing a no-bail hold – meaning a possible second night in lockup – and the lawyers agreeing to make some phone calls together.

Judge Hunt advised them as soon as they found someone to take the defendant, they could come back before him so he could set bail.

O’Rourke said later last night, she’d found there was a social worker – whether from the nursing home or the Department of Social and Health Services, she didn’t know – who planned to hold a debriefing about Berquist today.

Berquist was found to qualify for a court-appointed lawyer and his arraignment was scheduled for a week from tomorrow.

He was released today from the Lewis County Jail, according to its online roster.

Watch for the latest information from the National Weather Service, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – While the rain is coming to an end this morning, flooding has affected many Lewis County residents and could affect more people over the next day or so.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies rescued several people in the east end of the county overnight because of water in or around their homes and while the Cowlitz River at Packwood is receding, it continues to rise downstream at Randle.

The predicted record flooding on the Newaukum River in the west end did not materialize.

Still, many roads are closed, including a 45-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 12 beginning east of Packwood and into Yakima County due to mud and debris across the road in multiple locations.

In Centralia, several city streets are closed this morning, including where there is approximately 6 inches of water over Kresky Avenue at Scott Johnson Road.

The Chehalis River at Doty appears to have crested lower than expected, so the flooding forecast for Chehalis and Centralia beginning later today is expected to be minor.

The Skookumchuck and Chehalis Rivers at Centralia are still being monitored for possible flood warnings.

The National Weather Service reports that rain, heavy at times, is coming to an end early this morning in the central and southern Cascades. Rivers in the region will crest today with the exception of the lower reaches of the Chehalis.

In the Randle area, the Cowlitz River river will continue to rise and crest just below 24 feet around 10 o’clock this morning. The river should fall below flood stage Thursday night.

The public is urged to continue to monitor the weather and river levels.

For photos and ongoing reports from members of the community, if you are on Facebook, check Lewis County Sirens on Facebook, here

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For background, and useful links, read “Officials watching waterways, preparing for flooding” from  Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at 3:12 p.m., here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The state has fined a Chehalis hotel more than $97,000 for worker safety and health violations, including exposing employees to infectious diseases, an issue they have been warned of previously.

The Department of Labor and Industries cited the Chehalis Inn & Suites for a total of 31 violations,  according to the state agency. The citations are the result of two inspections that began in August.

A clerk who answered the phone this evening said the business on Southwest Interstate Avenue is currently an Econo Lodge. The manager was not available for comment.

Three of the issues are considered “repeat serious” violations, regarding potential exposure to blood-borne pathogens from hypodermic needles or other infectious material, according to L&I.

A fourth “repeat serious” violation involves the lack of an emergency eyewash and training for employees who work with corrosive cleaning products and pool chemicals.

Agency spokesperson Elaine Fischer indicates those are the exact same violations that were found during a July 2013 inspection

The workplace regulators also cited the facility for 11 serious violations related to asbestos exposure during renovation work at the hotel.

Serious violations are cited for hazards where there’s a possibility of serious injury or death.

The inspections also uncovered an unstable second-floor walkway with damaged railing and rotted areas that exposed workers to the possibility of a fall of over eight feet as well as exposed wires, improperly grounded electrical equipment and other electrical hazards, according to Fischer.

The employer has 15 working days to appeal the citation.

Updated at 7:20 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The city of Centralia has opened a sandbag station in the expectation that localized flooding will become an issue.

Moderate to heavy rain is expected to continue for the next 12 hours.

Flood warnings are already in place around greater Lewis County, including on the Cowlitz River at Packwood and Randle, the Chehalis River near Doty and Grand Mound and on the Nisqually River near National.

Additionally, record flooding is predicted on the Newaukum River affecting the Chehalis area, according to the National Weather Service.

For Centralia, the forecasts are suggesting rivers will reach flood stage in the early morning hours on Wednesday, according to Centralia Police Chief Carl Nielsen. The city is monitoring the river levels.

Centralia police detective Patty Finch indicates sand, bags and shovels are available for citizens at the parking lot kitty corner from City Hall on North Pearl Street.

A second sand bag station is set to open tomorrow around 3 p.m. at the city maintenance shop, 2600 Reynolds Road in Centralia, near the Fords Prairie Grange. More may be established if the need arises.

Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza this morning said they will have rescue operations available on both the east end and the west side of the county.

“The creeks are already full, the ground is already saturated,” Snaza said.

The weather service says the rainfall could lead to flooding on small streams or creeks, as well as the threat of more landslides.

The county has also set up sand bag stations for the public at some of the public works shops as well as next to the post office in Galvin.

The public is advised to be alert for rapid changes and monitor developments by listening to NOAA Weather radio or other local media.

Individuals can follow the National Weather Service reports directly, online as well.

The Lewis County Board of Commissioner signed a declaration of emergency at 1 p.m. today because of the the potential effects to life and property, and the move allows them to distribute sand bags to private citizens.

Steve Mansfield of Lewis County Emergency Management is advising all citizens to check their supplies and preparations to be ready to respond quickly as this current weather front unfolds.

“Every flooding event is different and people, especially those in flood-prone areas, need be ready to move quickly as the water rises,” Mansfield stated.

Just after 5 p.m. today, the city of Centralia declared a local emergency. They plan to open their emergency operations center on a limited basis at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

“A special advisory is being issued for the area south of Summa Street / Salzer Valley Road and east of Kresky Avenue / National Avenue which may experience overnight flooding, detective Sgt. Pat Fitzgerald stated in a news release.

For weather alerts and forecasts, the National Weather Service’s Forecast Office in Seattle page can be found here.

For river levels, the National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrological Prediction Services page can be found here

Both links are always available on the right hand side bar of this news site.

Also, Lewis County provides a web page showing the status of county roads. It can be found here.

The sand bags stations provided by Lewis County offer sand and bags at no charge to the public, but individuals will need to fill the bags themselves.

They are located at:

• Public Works Area Seven Shop at 8911 U.S. Highway 12 near Randle and Glenoma. Hours: 6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

• Public Works Central Shop at 111 Forest-Napavine Road East. Hours: Until 6 p.m. tonight

• Public Works Area One Shop at 148 Big Hanaford Road in the Centralia area. Hours: Accessible 24 hours each day, at the driveway approach just before the main entrance to the facility

• Next to the Galvin Post Office on Galvin Road and Cleveland Street. Hours: Accessible 24 hours each day.