Lewis County Sirens.com

Helen Morgan at her father Jake Morgan’s bedside. / Courtesy photo

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Claims for as much as $5 million in damages have been filed against Lewis County on behalf of two of the several people hurt when a runaway horse and carriage plowed through a crowd at the Southwest Washington Fair.

A lawyer representing John H. Morgan, 38, from Toledo, states that his client suffered a severe brain injury, multiple broken bones and contusions and has already undergone several surgeries.

“John is out of work for an unknown period of time and may not be able to return to work in the same capacity, if at all,” Tacoma attorney Lincoln Beauregard writes.

His 4-year-old daughter Helen Morgan – who was not moving after being struck, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office – suffered five facial fractures under her eyes and has permanent scarring, according to Beauregard. Her left arm was injured as well, he wrote.

The incident happened on the afternoon of August 19, a Friday during the six-day annual fair.

Authorities initially said only that a spooked horse took off running down the midway and four individuals were taken by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital. A fifth person went to the hospital in a private vehicle, according to the fire chief, and a recently released report indicates the owner of the horse was also hurt.

Lewis County owns and operates the fairgrounds and the fair.

A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy compiled a report, for informational purposes and as assistance to fire and aid personnel.

Deputy Jeffrey Humphrey wrote he was standing near the sheriff’s office’s booth when he heard a horse pulling a buggy and it began trotting fast. He wrote that he saw people get hit, he gave chase and saw another person on the ground.

Then-Chief Deputy Stacy Brown, who had been with Humphrey, reported she also ran after the animal, noting the carriage was careening out of control behind it. She observed several injured people, she wrote.

Jennifer D. Adkinson later told the deputy she didn’t see it coming until the last minute, and pushed one of her small sons out of the way. Adkinson’s ankle was possibly broken, struck by what the Rochester woman suspected was the carriage, when she was interviewed at the hospital.

Brown and others were able to contain the horse near the north end of the midway, according to Brown’s narrative.

Chief Brown walked with the owner of the agitated horse to its stall and ensured it was confined there.

The owner, Carrie Swearingen, said her leg hurt from trying to stop the horse and carriage, but she was okay and declined aid, according to the incident report. Swearingen is from Dalles, Oregon, and was at the fair to give buggy rides to people, according to authorities.

The claims were filed with the Lewis County Risk Management office on Sept. 28, according to Risk Manager Paulette Young. Young said earlier this week, they’ve turned the claims over to the horse carriage company, for its insurance.

The Morgans were treated at Providence and also Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to their lawyer. He estimates damages for each in an amount between $2.5 million and $5 million.

Beauregard wrote that Lewis County’s liability is under investigation, as it may have contributed to the accident by “not installing proper safety measures.”

Chief Brown’s narrative gives some insight as to what may have occurred to startle the horse.

Brown wrote the horse, carriage and operator were standing in their normal location just north of the sheriff’s office’s booth.

“I observed the horse get spooked and jump, causing the carriage to rock back and forth behind it, which seemed to spook it even more,” Brown wrote. “The horse hit a large raised flower bed, causing it to fall over, which might have scared it even more.”

The horse owner told Brown she was standing next to her horse, Duramax, when a forklift drove by, spooking it, according to Brown. She said she wasn’t able to get the reins over the horse and couldn’t stop the horse as it bolted, according to Brown.

Brown further related that she saw a county forklift throughout the day carrying gates and other items, but she didn’t specifically recall seeing it next to the horse when the horse got spooked.

It’s unclear how many people were hurt during the incident.

Deputy Humphrey and Chief Brown’s reports list four known victims, plus the owner and no other witnesses. One of the four is a county employee.

The only other victim in their report is Thomas T. Mars, from Chehalis, who is also identified in the same report as Andrew T. Mars. He had a laceration near his elbow as well as scratches and/or road rash on his arms, back and both knees, according to Humphrey.

The Morgan family’s lawyer also submitted a claim for the same amount for wife and mother Emily Morgan.

“She continues to suffer from loss of consortium due to the severe injuries of her loved ones,” Beauregard wrote. She’s missing time from work to care for them and it’s unknown when she will be able to return, he wrote.
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For background, read “Two of spooked horse victims on the mend, after fair accident” from Saturday August 27, 2016, here

Brian A. Carreon, right, and his lawyer Shane O’Rourke face Judge James Lawler today in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 17-year-old Centralia boy who admitted to being one of three males captured in surveillance video at a roughly 45 second home invasion that ended with a pet dog shot dead got a break.

Brian A. Carreon appeared before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced to six months in jail.

The judge said he would allow the term to be served on electronic home monitoring.

The other two men involved were sentenced last week to 10 and 12 years in prison.

Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher and Carreon’s defense attorney spent a great deal of time this afternoon addressing the different levels of culpability and the reason they agreed he could resolve his case with a conviction for first-degree rendering criminal assistance.

When the teen was charged in adult court last year, he faced one count of first-degree robbery.

Centralia attorney Shane O’Rourke praised the year and a half long process of getting to the bottom of what happened.

His client didn’t go to the home with the intent to commit armed robbery, he said.

Meagher focused on the issue that without Carreon’s cooperation, authorities would not have known who committed the crime.

“The guy that came clean from the get go is sitting right over there,” Meagher said, pointing to Carreon.

It happened the night of Feb. 19, 2015 at a small house on the 1200 block of Marion Street in Centralia.

The victim and his girlfriend were home with their two dogs when about three males barged through the door demanding money and weed, and fired numerous shots killing their pit bull Misty. Officers found nine shell casings and two bullet jacket fragments at the scene.

Meagher said there was one gun involved.

He told the judge today that Deandre J. Perry of Portland, then 26, kicked the front door in.

Meagher said Hennessy R. Turner-White, then 22 and also from Portland, shot the dog.

Meagher said Carreon provided his cell phone to law enforcement while the Portland suspects as recently as this summer still claimed an alibi.

“So all in all, we think this is a fair resolution,” Meagher said. “It’s probably light handed, but we make no apology for that.”

Turner-White was given 12 years last week for first-degree attempted robbery, first-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of first-degree animal cruelty. Perry was given 10 years for the same convictions, minus the animal cruelty.

Meagher reminded the judge Carreon had been to house before, and had taken a video of himself trimming the victim’s medical marijuana plants. O’Rourke told the judge his client shouldn’t have talked about the marijuana grow, and shouldn’t have been hanging out with the two men.

“This is someone who’s 17, dealing with adults,” O’Rourke said.

Carreon has been free on bail, working and attending Centralia College.

His lawyer asked that he be allowed to go to work and go to classes while he’s on house arrest.

On of the two victims, Dustin Palermo, was present in the courtroom for today’s hearing.

Carreon apologized when it was his turn to address the court, but he did so facing the judge.

“I would like to apologize to Mr. Palermo as well,” Carreon said. “I’m sorry. A dog is definitely part of your family.

“I sincerely apologize.”

Judge James Lawler agreed with the two lawyers deal they’d worked out, noting to the defendant that he wasn’t required to.

“Make something of yourself and don’t come back here,” Lawler said.

Carreon has until 7 p.m. on Nov. 15 to get signed up for electronic home monitoring, or he must report to the Lewis County Jail.

Palermo outside the courtroom was surprised by the short amount of time Carreon got. The last he was aware, prosecutors were seeking a year, he said.

“I’m very upset with it, because he’s the one that brought them to our home,” he said. “Without him, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Carreon’s sister, Taina Duncan, from Portland, is expected for a hearing tomorrow. She allegedly drove the three to Palermo’s home.

Meagher said she’s planning to plead guilty to first-degree rendering criminal assistance, and he’s prepared to recommend she be sentenced to six months.

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For background, read:

• “News brief: Second Portland man gets prison for Centralia home invasion” Thursday October 13, 2016, here

• And, Two arrested, two sought in February Centralia home invasion” from Thursday July 9, 2015, here