Archive for May, 2016

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Sunday, May 22nd, 2016
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HOUSE FIRE

• Firefighters called yesterday morning to the 100 block of Bear View Drive east of Chehalis were told the resident could see smoke and flames under her house. The crew arriving for the 7:50 a.m. call found heavy smoke coming from under the residence and were able to extinguish it, keeping it contained to the crawl space, according to Riverside Fire Authority. There was only minimal damage to rest of the home, Fire Capt. Casey McCarthy reports. Nobody was injured. The cause is under investigation.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

• A 25-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for second-degree assault related to a domestic situation yesterday. David D. Marrs’ arrest is associated with a 2:40 p.m. call to the 900 block of South Scheuber Road in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

BREAK-IN

• Centralia police were called about 12:30 a.m. yesterday to a report of a burglary at the 700 block of West First Street. An unknown amount of cash was taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OTHER THEFT

• A utility trailer was reported stolen about 3:30 p.m. yesterday from the 1200 block of Johnson Road in Centralia.

• Centralia police were called to the 100 block of Virginia Drive about 4 p.m. yesterday where they arrested a 31-year-old woman for allegedly stealing documents from a neighbor’s front porch. Tina M. Wood, of Centralia, was cited for third-degree theft and then released pending a court date, according to the Centralia Police Department.

GRAB AND GO

• Centralia police were called about 9:30 p.m. on Friday to the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue where they were told a cart-full of alcohol was stolen.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police were called to the 800 block of Johnson Road about 8:45 p.m. yesterday where they were told a vehicle’s window was broken and a purse stolen.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor domestic assault, negligent driving, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute third-degree theft, suspicious circumstances, collision on city street … and more, among 297 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 48-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

 

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Friday, May 20th, 2016
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Updated at 1:48 p.m.

BREAK-IN WEST OF CENTRALIA

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports this morning another burglary was discovered along the 200 block of Smith Road west of Centralia. The owner said his house was vacant but sometime in the previous four days, someone broke a window and stole two televisions, a wooden trunk, a quilt and other valuables, according to the sheriff’s office.

VEHICLE THEFT CHEHALIS

• A tan-colored 1999 F250 pickup truck, with matching canopy, was stolen from the 100 block of Kennicott Road in Chehalis sometime between Wednesday and yesterday morning, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It has a license plate reading B67125P and is valued at $10,000 according to the sheriff’s office.

COMPUTERS, TOWERS, MONITORS MISSING

• Chehalis police were called yesterday to an apartment complex on the 1500 block of North National Avenue for a report that someone broke in to a usually-locked computer lab room and stole two Dell computers. Missing were the screens, keyboards, mice and also an additional modem, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The loss is estimated at $2,119, according to police.

CAR PROWL

• Chehalis police were called about 9:20 a.m. yesterday to a vehicle prowl at the 100 block of Southwest 11th Street. Sometime during the night, somebody got inside an unlocked vehicle and rummaged around, but took nothing, according to the Chehalis Police Department. It was the second occurrence for the victim in a two-week period, police said.

BAD BILLS

• Chehalis police were called to a gas station yesterday afternoon at the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue when a customer attempted to pay with what appeared to be two counterfeit $10 bills. The customer had gotten them from a relative and did not know they were fake, according to the Chehalis Police Department. An officer took the money into evidence, according to police.

CRIME STOPPERS WANTS TIPS ABOUT WINLOCK THEFT

• Lewis County Crime Stoppers is looking for information on a burglary last month to a detached garage at the 800 block of North Military Road in Winlock in which a neighbor reported seeing an unfamiliar person during the time frame of the break-in. It happened on the afternoon of April 27, and the person seen was described as a white male 35 to 40 years old and driving a black two-door coupe, according to Crime Stoppers. Seven hundred and fifty dollars worth of tools were taken, including a Stihl brush cutter, a Stihl blower, two Rigid brand cordless drills and a Rigid cordless impact hammer. Anonymous calls can be made to 1-800-748-6422 or information may be shared online at www.lewiscountycrimestoppers.org

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 33-year-old Chehalis man suffered a chest injury in a two-vehicle collision yesterday at Carroll and Harmon roads near Napavine, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo which was totaled and a 16-year-old girl from Chehalis was driving a 1998 Toyota Camry, according to a deputy who responded about 3:40 p.m. yesterday. The teen was uninjured, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor domestic assault, anti-harassment order violation, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute threat, shoplifting, civil issue, trespassing, runaway juvenile, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances, receipt of a fraudulent check, collision on city street … and more, among 149 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Suspicious fire breaks out at Winlock fireworks company

Friday, May 20th, 2016
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Crews work to extinguish flames at Jake’s Fireworks. / Courtesy photo by Derrick Paul

Updated at 10:46 a.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Investigators are looking into vandalism and a fire that left a large fireworks business in Winlock with an estimated $100,000 loss.

Members of Lewis County Fire District 15 spent about 12 hours yesterday at Jake’s Fireworks on the 700 block of Nevil Road.

Fire Investigator Derrick Paul said he is working with the sheriff’s office on the case.

Paul said when employees got to work they discovered vandalism and walked through the property looking around when they discovered smoke coming from one of the many large metal cargo containers on site.

Most of them are locked and used to store fireworks, but the one was used for recycling, such as cardboard and was unlocked, Paul said.

When they opened it to investigate, and allowed oxygen inside, the fire “really took off,” he said.

The radiant heat ignited contents of other cargo containers, according to Paul.

The vandalism that occurred sometime since the day before included someone tampering with the fire suppression system, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said their $7,000 water storage bladder had been sliced open.

A tire on one of the trucks was punctured as well, according to Brown.

Paul said between the vandalism and the items destroyed by the blaze, the loss is upwards of $100,000.

Jake’s is a distributor of wholesale fireworks and a fireworks retailer.

Brown said there is a person of interest and the business is working on providing detectives access to a footage from a surveillance system.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, May 19th, 2016
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Updated at 3:23 p.m.

BMW-DRIVING BURGLAR SOUGHT

• Authorities are asking for the public’s help after two residential burglaries yesterday in the Independence Valley west of Centralia. A woman arrived home at 7:45 a.m. at the 100 block of Smith Road and spoke to the likely thief, who had a gray BMW parked in her driveway, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He said he was looking for a female, whose name he gave, and then he drove off, according to the sheriff’s office. It turns out the living room window had been broken out and more than $5,000 worth of valuables were missing, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said. Law enforcement officers canvassed the area but did not locate the suspect, Brown said. He is described as a white male 25 to 30 years old and average looking with short hair. The car had a bungee cord or zip tie or something similar tied to the front bumper, Brown said. It also had what looked like cleaning supplies in the back seat, according to Brown.

• Later yesterday, the sheriff’s office was contacted by a second burglary victim in the Independence Valley, at the 200 block of Nelson Road near Rochester, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Sometime between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., someone forced their way through a locked back door, rifled through the entire house and made off with three firearms, collectible knives, a German clock, silver utensils and a down comforter.

GRAB AND GO AT OUTLETS FOILED

• Centralia police were called to the Nike Store on the 100 block of West High Street just after 5 p.m. yesterday after three individuals allegedly placed about $1,000 worth of merchandise into bags, ran out the door, jumped into a car and took off northbound up Interstate 5. A trooper caught up to the suspect vehicle near Tumwater, according to the Centralia Police Department. Arrested for organized retail theft and booked into the Lewis County Jail were Kaisha R. Walker, 21, of University Place; Jalexis B. Ezell, 20, of Tacoma; and Chadrick C. Singleton, 25, of Lakewood, according to police.

CAR PROWL

• A purse and a Galaxy tablet were stolen from a vehicle parked at the 2600 block of Cooks Hill Road in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 7:30 a.m. yesterday.

DOMESTIC BROKEN GLASS

• Chehalis police were called to the 600 block of Northwest Prindle Street after a male reportedly broke out the window of a vehicle during a dispute around 1:20 p.m. yesterday. He was gone when officers arrived, but the female in the vehicle was still there, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Police are forwarding a case for malicious mischief to the city prosecutor for evaluation, department spokesperson Linda Bailey said.

FLAMING TRASH AT TRAIN YARD

• Centralia firefighters called about 7:10 a.m. today to a fire in a rail car south of the Sixth Street viaduct found a garbage-carrying container burning. The crew worked with rail yard employees to move the affected cargo container to a side track and lowered it to the ground for extinguishment, according to Riverside Fire Authority. It held household trash and a large amount asphalt shingles, according to the fire department.

CAR VERSUS POLE

• A 28-year-old Centralia resident  was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital after her car ran into a utility pole about 12:30 a.m. today at the 200 block of Downing Road in Centralia. Dawnita K. Ortivez was subsequently booked into the Lewis County Jail for driving under the influence, according to the Centralia Police Department. Her Honda Accord had damage on the driver’s side, according to police.

VEHICLE VERSUS CHURCH

• Firefighters were on the scene about 12:30 p.m. today of a vehicle into a building collision at Southwest 183rd Avenue at Pendleton Street in Rochester. Only minor injuries were involved, according to West Thurston Regional Fire Authority. The roof of the vehicle came into contact with and shoved in an exterior wall at Crossroads Church, according to an image shared by the fire department. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office indicates the incident was a suicide attempt by the driver.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, protection order violation, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, shoplifting, stolen bicycle, runaway juvenile, disorderly person, misdemeanor assault, suspicious circumstances, collision on city street, receipt of a fraudulent check; complaint about someone putting poop in someone else’s dumpster … and more, among 141 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 6:45 a.m. today.

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Southwest 183rd Avenue at Pendleton Street in Rochester. / Courtesy photo by West Thurston Regional Fire Authority

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, May 18th, 2016
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Updated at 6:04 p.m.

HIGH-SPEED CHASE CONCLUDES ON DEAD END ROAD

• A trooper traveling eastbound on U.S. Highway 12 sees a motorcyclist approaching from the opposite direction at more than 90 mph. The man on the motorcycle slows and waves as he passes the trooper, in the 55 mph zone. Trooper makes a U-turn and tries to catch up to the speeder, who pulls away at an estimated 113 mph, even going around two vehicles in a curvy no-passing zone. Motorcyclist turns off the highway onto Damron Road and trooper catches up just as motorcycle turns right on to Cindee Lane. A gravel, dead-end road. The 36-year-old biker loses control, lays bike on its side. The aforementioned pursuit occurred about 8 p.m. yesterday near Mossyrock, according to the allegations by authorities. As trooper is handcuffing Luke J. Foss, Foss mutters, “Shoot, that was dumb.” So says the Lewis County Prosecutors Office, which filed charges today for attempting to elude. The LaCenter resident was allowed release on a $10,000 signature bond, with an arraignment for the felony charge scheduled for May 26 in Lewis County Superior Court.

WINLOCK SHED BURGLED

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning that someone broke into a storage shed a Winlock man rents out and stole a set of Toyo tires mounted on aluminum wheels, valued at $2,000, as well as a small square Sentry safe. The burglary at the 400 block of state Route 505 occurred sometime during the past month, according to the sheriff’s office.

POPSICLES STOLEN IN CENTRALIA BREAK-IN

• Deputies are considering the possibility that kids my be behind a burglary to an office at the 3100 block of Ives Road in Centralia, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said yesterday. Someone spray painted the letter “R” on a wall and stole several popsicles from a freezer, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said. The freezer door was left open, so that ice cream melted, Brown said. It happened around 9 p.m. on Friday, she said.

COMPUTER TAKEN CENTRALIA

• Centralia police were called about 12:15 p.m. yesterday regarding the theft of a laptop computer from the 600 block of Centralia College Boulevard.

CHECK PRINTING SCHEME LEADS TO INCARCERATION

• A Cinebar man accused of using a printer to create fraudulent checks was sentenced to a bit more than six years in prison today. Richard R. Perry Jr., 37, was arrested on March 29 after a short police chase that ended in Onalaska. He pleaded guilty previously to numerous offenses in the case, as well as a first-degree identity theft from last August. This afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court, Perry also was sentenced for four counts of second-degree identity theft, two counts of unlawful factoring of a credit or payment card and attempting to elude. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office had been investigating Perry since the end of December. He reportedly told a deputy he received a check from a non-profit organization that feeds homeless people, scanned it into his computer, then would modify it to make it look like paychecks. Prosecutors said he traveled with the printer and computer in his vehicle. Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Nelson said this afternoon there were a lot of different victims and between the bank, account holder and merchants who cashed the checks, he’s still trying to figure out if and how much each victim lost. Perry’s was one of eight sentencing hearings scheduled for today in Lewis County Superior Court.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, no-contact order violation, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, injured deer, misdemeanor assault, suspicious circumstances … and more, among 168 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

 

Centralia police admit errors in cat cruelty investigation, taking a second look

Wednesday, May 18th, 2016
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An image of Jay the cat shared on Facebook.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Centralia police chief admitted today that police made mistakes in their response and investigation into the death of a cat that suffered what prosecutors called cruel and terrible injuries.

The feline, named Jay, was at one point possibly dropped from a second story balcony and maybe or maybe not, stabbed at an apartment complex in north Centralia last month.

Prosecutors released without charges a 24-year-old who was arrested, calling the evidence murky, and noting the pet’s body was not collected for evidence.

“Fortunately, these types of cases do not occur frequently in our community,” Centralia Police Department Chief Carl Nielsen stated in a news release. “This case brought to light the lack of information and resources we had available for our staff to refer to during the initial investigation.”

Police detectives have been following up on new information and evidence, Nielsen said today. He expects the case will be presented once again to prosecutors late next week, he said.

Nielsen wants the community to know that the Centralia Police Department is currently updating its policies and wanted to personally thank the members of Pasado’s Safe Haven and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for their help in both identifying resources for officers, as well as assisting in the crafting of a new policy for the department.

He says he appreciates the passion and concerns shown by the community throughout this incident.

“We have outstanding staff working here, but from time-to-time mistakes will occur,” Nielsen stated. “When those incidents do occur, we will work diligently to correct those mistakes.”

Nielsen was hired as chief of the department just one year ago.

Centralia police responded to the evening incident at the 100 block of Virginia Drive on April 28, and interviewed several individuals, including children.

They arrested the man accused of stabbing the cat, but Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher released him the following day without charges, saying someone was very cruel to the cat, but he didn’t have enough evidence to make a case.
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For background read “Man released from jail with no charges in connection with Centralia cat death” from Friday April 29, 2016, here

News brief: Driver from fatal Centralia wreck recovering

Wednesday, May 18th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Rochester mother whose 8-year-old daughter was killed when their van wrecked on Monday afternoon remains hospitalized, but is listed in satisfactory condition this morning.

Maria Cebrero-Herrera, 42, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with serious injuries following the collision near Galvin and Gallagher roads in Centralia.

Centralia police say Cebrero-Herrera was traveling westbound when her van crossed the center line and struck a large parked pickup truck, head on.

The child had been seat-belted in the back seat, but was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The mother was conscious and in an ambulance when police arrived, but then put into a helicopter that landed in a nearby field, according to Sgt. Carl Buster said.

Both vehicles sustained extensive damage, Buster said.

The rare in-city fatality crash occurred on a two-lane road where the speed limit is 35 mph.

“It’s just sad,” Buster said. “I can count on one hand the number of fatals I’ve been to in 20 years, in town.”

Buster said why it happened, he did not know.

There were people in the area who heard the crash, but none who saw it occur, he said of the initial investigation. Buster said he was not aware of any reports the driver was speeding.

Because of the death, the Centralia Police Department requested assistance from the Washington State Patrol’s major accident team.

They sent a technician to collect evidence and map the scene. The state patrol will take statements, and once all the reports are compiled, forward them to Centralia police, state patrol spokesperson Trooper Will Finn said.

The coroner said yesterday Jaredsi Torres died from head injuries. The Rochester School District is asking the community to keep the second grader and her family in its thoughts and prayers.
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For background, read “News brief: Vehicle accident child victim was from Rochester” from Tuesday May 17, 2016, here