Archive for February, 2016

Sheriff’s high honors go to Corrections Officer Wood, Detective Seiber

Sunday, February 7th, 2016
2016.0204.lcso.tom.callasretire8264

The audience rises to its feet as Sheriff Snaza speaks of detective Tom Callas’s career and retirement during an awards presentation at Bethel Church.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

NAPAVINE –  Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza honored two officers with an award for portraying the guardian spirit.

Corrections Officer Bill Wood was recognized for his heroic actions when he pursued and apprehended a just-convicted defendant who fled a courtroom last October.

“Basically he got into a fight,” Snaza said, of the chase that began on the fourth floor of the Lewis County Law and Justice Center, continued down a back stairwell and out onto the street in Chehalis.

Snaza spoke of Wood’s tenacious attitude when he presented him on Thursday with the Guardian Award.

“He wasn’t gonna let that guy go,” he said.

The high praise was offered during a gathering of members of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at Bethel Church in Napavine. The annual meeting is held to recognize outstanding work by employees.

A second Guardian Award was given to detective Gene Seiber, a person Snaza said had gone unrecognized for too long.

Seiber was part of the command staff under former Sheriff Steve Mansfield. After Snaza was elected sheriff, he moved Seiber into a newly created position, a detective focusing on the east end of the county.

Snaza spoke of Seiber’s consistent dedication and outstanding performance in the daily execution of his duties.

“Exceptional service with an excellent attitude,” he said.

Numerous honors and awards were presented, including a Distinguished Service Medal for detective Tom Callas whose retirement began that afternoon. Callas started at the sheriff’s office in 1988.

Snaza, with Undersheriff Wes Rethwill assisting in the ceremony, called three civilians to the stage as well.

Cameron Church, accompanied by his girlfriend Skyler Grimes, was given a Citizen Service Medal.

On Nov. 14, when a senior citizen drove her car onto a flooded Forest Service Road 25 south of Randle, Church put aside his own personal safety and rushed in to pull  her from her water-filled car.

“They then kept her warm while waiting for aid to arrive,” he said.

Snaza then gave a certificate of bravery and courage to Aiden Readman, a young man who called 911 when his mother was being assaulted, and helped protect his mother and sister.

The sheriff spent some time during the meeting sharing the office’s priorities and goals during his first year in office and also for the coming year.

His list for 2016 contains 47 items.

“When I thought of running for sheriff, I want to make sure you guys are taken care of,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion.

In closing, the sheriff told the employees, there’s no “I” in their organization.

“I cannot be successful without you,” he said. “We can be successful together.”

Among the awards presented were also, Employee of the Year, which went to:

• Field Operations Bureau – Deputy Justin Rodgers
• Corrections Bureau – Corrections Sgt. Joyce McCoy
• Corrections Bureau Support Technician – Ramona Romine
• Services Bureau – Support Technician Debra Hensley

State patrol: Pe Ell man lost control of his truck, leading to deadly crash

Saturday, February 6th, 2016
2016.0205.doublefatalsr6

The light blue Mazda pickup and yellow Jeep rest on state Route 6 near Adna. / Courtesy photo by Washington State Patrol

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The cause of the collision on state Route 6 yesterday remains under investigation but the Washington State Patrol reports the pickup truck carrying two individuals who died was T-boned in its passenger side by the Jeep Wrangler.

Both vehicles had been traveling in opposite directions, about two miles west of Chehalis, according to the state patrol.

Firefighters from Chehalis and Lewis County Fire District 6 responding to the approximately 4:50 p.m. call near Highway 603 found the man and woman deceased and the driver – and sole occupant – of the Jeep in serious condition, according to authorities.

Glennon G. Stinson, 69, from Rochester, was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital.

The state patrol identifies the driver of the 1989 Mazda B2200 pickup as Joseph A. Schwartz, 23, of Pe Ell. His passenger was Katharina M. McKenna, 27, from Chehalis.

The investigating trooper describes the incident as Schwartz traveling eastbound and for whatever reason, he lost control of his truck and slid across the centerline into the westbound lane. The front of the westbound Jeep struck the passenger side of his truck, according to the state patrol.

The roadway was closed for nearly four hours, according to Trooper Will Finn.

All three individuals had been wearing seat belts, according to the state patrol.

It’s unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved, according to the initial information. No charges are expected.

Both vehicles were totaled, towed and impounded.

Live military mortar removed from under Pe Ell chicken coop

Friday, February 5th, 2016
2016.0205.mortarsized

This might look a little bit like an ugly fishing lure, but it’s almost two feet long. / Courtesy photo by Pe Ell Marshals Office

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  The Washington State Patrol Bomb Squad was called to Pe Ell yesterday evening after a large military mortar was found under a chicken coop.

“The homeowner was putting in a fence, dug in close to the chicken coop and noticed something hard and tapped it a couple times,” Pe Ell Marshal Mike Hartnett said.

It turns out the nearly two-foot-long object was live, he said.

“It’s firing mechanism was intact and its safety pin was gone,” Hartnett said. “One abrupt bump on the nose of that, could have set it off.”

The marshal said he understood it would have a “kill radius” of up to 50 meters.

One meter is a little longer than three feet.

Hartnett said two of his deputy marshals were on duty, and they evacuated a couple residents and blocked off the area. It was in the backyard of a residence on East Pe Ell Avenue, near the edge of the city limits, he said.

It was about 5:45 p.m. and the bomb squad came out and ended up putting it in their bomb trailer and hauling it back to Shelton to dispose of it, he said.

Hartnett said he was told it was an 82 mm mortar.

“Probably an old Vietnam-era mortar, is our best guess,” he said.

How it got a backyard in Pe Ell, they don’t know. It’s an older home, that’s had a few owners, he said.

“Either somebody brought home a souvenir, even off a military firing range and thought it was a dud,” he said. “Maybe someone didn’t want it anymore and poked it under the chicken coop.”

Breaking news: Two dead, one injured on state Route 6

Friday, February 5th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  State Route 6 west of Chehalis is closed in both directions as troopers investigate a double-fatality collision.

Firefighters called at 4:50 p.m. to the scene at Highway 603 immediately confirmed the deaths of two occupants and found one patient in serious condition, according to Lewis County Fire District 6.

District spokesperson DJ Hammer indicates that person was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital.

The initial reports of the two-vehicle accident suggested it may have been head-on or it may have been a T-bone incident, according to Hammer.

The Washington State Patrol is on the scene conducting its investigation.

State Route 6 is expected to remain shut down for the next few hours.

Further details were not readily available. More information will be reported when available.

News brief: Man’s body found on South Lewis County road

Friday, February 5th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office says a body was found lying on Mandy Road by a passing motorist last night.

Detectives responded to the report about 8 p.m. from the area near Interstate 5 west of Toledo, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The investigation, thus far, leads detectives to believe a man had been walking southbound on I-5 and possibly jumped or fell from the overpass onto the roadway below,” Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said this afternoon.

Brown indicated there is no evidence of foul play, at this time.

Witnesses described seeing a man walking across the freeway bridge above Mandy Road, acting erratic and animated, shortly before the body was discovered, according to Brown.

An autopsy is scheduled for next week. The Lewis County Coroner’s Office will release identification information once next of kin has been notified.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Friday, February 5th, 2016
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

INVESTIGATION AT CHEHALIS SCHOOL ONGOING

• Police were called to W.F. West High School yesterday in reference to a “bottle being ignited” inside the school, according to the Chehalis Police Department. An officer is continuing the investigation and no further details were available this morning, according to department spokesperson Linda Bailey.

THEFT

• Centralia police were called to the 1300 block of Alexander Street about 9:20 p.m. yesterday to take a report that checks had been stolen.

• An individual was arrested yesterday morning in connection with the truck taken for a test drive the day before and never returned to a car dealer on the 200 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia. It was spotted by an off-duty officer in Grand Mound and Joseph T. Light, 54, from Rainier, was taken into custody by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

LOST AND FOUND

• A found wedding-style ring was turned in to the Chehalis Police Department yesterday.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 23-year-old Winlock woman was hospitalized after she failed to negotiate a left turn at the 100 block of Larmon Road, drove off the roadway and wedged her truck in between some trees last night. Deputies called about 11:10 p.m. concluded she was traveling faster than she should have been and that her pickup truck was totaled, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. She sustained scrapes from broken glass, according to the sheriff’s office, and will be mailed an infraction for speeds too fast for conditions.

• A motorist was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital after his car left the roadway and sheared off a utility pole at its base this morning in north Centralia. Firefighters called about 9 a.m. to the 1300 block of North Pearl Street report the approximately 25-year-old man had gotten himself out of his vehicle before they arrived and appeared to have suffered only minor injuries, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting; responses for alarm, dispute, vandalism, out-of-control child, possibly fraudulent check, collision on city street … and more.

2016.0205.pearlpolewreckIMG_1544

North Pearl Street / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, February 4th, 2016

2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

Updated at 11:29 a.m.

AUTO THEFT

• A red 2007 Ford Mustang disappeared from where it had been left a Schaeffer Park in Centralia, according to a report made about 10 a.m. yesterday to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Its owner, a Bucoda resident, said he parked the car there off the 800 block of state Route 507 about 5 p.m. on Tuesday and when he returned on Wednesday morning to pick it up, it was gone, according to the sheriff’s office.

• Centralia police were called about 1:10 p.m. yesterday to a car dealer on the 200 block of South Tower Avenue to take a report that a potential customer who took a truck for a test drive never returned. The vehicle is described as a green 1989 GMC 1500 pickup and has a Washington state dealers’ license reading 3909G, according to the Centralia Police Department. The suspect is identified as Joseph T. Little, 54, according to police.

MISSING MEDS

• Centralia police were called about 7:35 p.m. yesterday to the 400 block of West Main Street to take a report of prescription medications stolen from the home.

SHOPLIFT OF INFANT FOOD

• Chehalis police were called about 8:10 p.m. yesterday to Safeway on South Market Boulevard where two females were reported to have stole a shopping cart-full of baby formula. An officer was told they got into a green car and fled, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

• An officer was called to a residence on the 1500 block of Delaware Avenue in Centralia yesterday morning, following a report from Centralia City Light that a meter had been tampered with

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Centralia police gave up trying to catch a car that fled an attempted traffic stop around 7:15 a.m. yesterday, for safety reasons, according to the Centralia Police Department. The incident associated with the 100 block of West Maple Street involved a minor traffic violation and a 2002 Dodge Neon, according to police. The car made several turns on various roads in an effort to lose the pursuing officer. Officers have its license plate numbers and continue to investigate, police indicate.

UPDATE TO UNFOUNDED STABBING REPORT

• Chehalis police this morning said they don’t know why a 28-year-old woman called for help yesterday morning, saying she had been stabbed. She went to a neighbor’s for help, at the apartments at the  300 block of Southwest Third Street and officers looked for a time for a supposed suspect who they were told had fled. At the hospital, she was found to have no injury, police said. Detective Sgt. Gary Wilson said this morning he couldn’t say for sure if she lied, had a medical event or maybe even just a nightmare.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, misdemeanor assault, third-degree domestic malicious mischief, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, hit and run, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances, collision on city street … and more.