Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Today’s attempts to find and recover the body of a Rochester man who slipped beneath the surface of Mayfield Lake late yesterday afternoon ended without success, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department’s dive team assisted in the effort that began this morning.

Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters who responded yesterday to the call for help at Ike Kinswa State Park learned the man became tired swimming back from a buoy, and although his wife tried to save him, she couldn’t keep him afloat.

The sheriff’s office said he is a 43-year-old who was camping with his family. His name has not been released.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said this afternoon the search will resume on Tuesday, with different equipment.
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For background, read “News brief: Rochester father, husband believed drowned in Mayfield Lake” from Saturday July 2, 2016 at 9:17 a.m., here

Ford F150 after the fire is extinguished. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A truck parked in a Centralia tow yard for about an hour this afternoon burst into flames and the cause is under investigation.

Firefighters called about 3:20 p.m. to B n H Towing on the 1100 block of West Reynolds Avenue found fire coming out of both the engine and passenger compartments, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

The fire was quickly brought under control but destroyed the 2000 Ford F150, according to Capt. Scott Weinert. Damage to a tow truck parked adjacent was minimal, according to Weinert.

“The vehicle had not had any previously noted mechanical problems and had been driven approximately an hour prior to the discovery of the fire,” Weinert stated.

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BnH compound before fire department arrives. / Courtesy photo

Ike Kinswa State Park sits at the northwest shore of Mayfield Lake in central Lewis County. / Image created from Lewis County GIS Mapping

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A dive team from Pierce County is expected this morning to begin searching for the body of a man who slipped under the water at Mayfield Lake late yesterday afternoon, despite his wife’s attempt to keep him afloat when he tired out from a lengthy swim.

Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters who responded to the 5:15 p.m. call to the boat launch at Ike Kinswa State Park searched but had not located the man as of about 9:25 p.m.

He is identified as a 43-year-old Rochester resident.

The family had been camping in the park since Tuesday and swam in the lake several times without issue, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said the father and his 17-year-old son had decided to swim to a buoy about 200 feet from shore, but both swimmers began getting tired on the way back. Brown said the 43-year-old was having difficulty staying above water and called to his wife for help.

“The wife swam to her husband to try to help but could not keep her husband afloat,” Brown stated in a news release last night. “He went underwater and has not been located as of this release.”

Ike Kinswa State Park is at the northwest edge of Mayfield Lake in central Lewis County.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Deputies spent several hours with search dogs scouring the Mossyrock property where 56-year-old Myrna R. LeBeau lives but didn’t find her, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said this morning.

Myrna R. LeBeau

LeBeau was reported missing on Sunday by her boyfriend who she resides with southeast of Mossyrock.

She was last seen leaving her home on May 26 and walking on Green Mountain Road.

Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said the property is about 80 acres and deputies spent most of the day looking for her on Wednesday, checking a few trails and also down to the lake.

Brown said LeBeau’s boyfriend reported to LeBeau’s healthcare provider within a couple of days that she was gone, and they did some checking.

“But because she’s an adult who walked away on her own and took some meds with her, they chose not to pursue it,” Brown said.

A friend asked him recently if he had contacted law enforcement, prompting his call on Sunday, Brown said.

When the boyfriend saw her last, she was wearing a green windbreaker, sweatpants, white tennis shoes and carrying a blue purse. She is described as a white female, 5-feet 6-inches tall, 130 pounds with brown hair, and green eyes.

The sheriff’s office has said she may suffer from mental health issues and also that she has a history of leaving, and has friends in Yelm.

Anyone with information that can help locate LeBeau, is asked to please contact detective Jeff Humphrey at the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286.

Melon Street Southwest early this morning. / Courtesy photo by West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The cause of an early morning fire that burned through a detached garage in South Thurston County is under investigation, according to West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

Family living on the property awoke to an unspecified loud sound and saw the structure was on fire with a lot of smoke, department spokesperson Lt. Lanette Dyer said.

Firefighters responding to the 3:55 a.m. call to the 192000 block of Melon Street Southwest found heavy smoke with flames showing, Dyer said.

They were assisted by personnel from four other fire departments.

The approximately 30-foot by 40-foot building housed an unoccupied apartment and two vehicles. The garage and vehicles are destroyed, she said.

Nobody was injured and the property is insured.