Archive for June, 2017

News brief: Appeal of coroner’s inquest case continues in federal court

Tuesday, June 20th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  Oral arguments will be heard in September before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Seattle in the case of former Toledo elementary school principal Ron Reynolds who contended the Lewis County coroner had no legal basis for  conducting an inquest into the 1998 death of his then-wife, a former state trooper.

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Ron Reynolds

His lawyer called the 2011 proceedings scandalous, leading to severe harm to his client’s reputation and employability.

Reynolds’ and his son Jonathan Reynolds were named by the inquest jury as responsible for the death, which the panel concluded was homicide.

Reynolds lost the federal lawsuit against Coroner Warren McLeod and the county when a federal judge granted a summary judgment two years ago. Reynolds appealed.

McLeod said this morning he plans to attend the 9 a.m. Sept. 1 session, which will be heard by a three-member panel of judges.

Ronda Reynolds, 33, was found with a bullet in her head and covered by a turned-on electric blanket on the floor of a closet in the Toledo home she shared with her husband of less than a year and his three sons.
•••

For background, read “Lawsuit regarding Ronda Reynolds’ inquest moves to Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals” from Friday May 8, 2015, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, June 19th, 2017
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•••

BEAR SPRAY VICTIM SEEKS HELP

• Centralia police were called at 6:20 p.m. yesterday to the fire department on the 500 block of North Pearl Street for a female who said she was bear sprayed by an unknown person. The investigation revealed she actually knew who had done it, but would not reveal who it was, according to the Centralia Police Department.

NURSE ASSAULTED

• A 36-year-old man from Aberdeen who allegedly assaulted a nurse at the hospital on the 900 block of South Scheuber Road in Centralia on Saturday afternoon was arrested for third-degree assault. Michael L. Hensley was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DOGNAPPING CHEHALIS

• Chehalis police were called to the 10 block of Southwest Pacific Avenue where a puppy was stolen from its cage on the porch on Saturday. The call came just before 10 p.m., but a relative said it had occurred about five hours earlier, according to police. The missing dog is about five weeks old and is a male black-tan-beige chihuahua with a white chest, department spokesperson Linda Bailey said.

AUTO THEFT

• The owner of a black 1995 Acura called police about 3:40 p.m. yesterday to report the car was missing from behind their residence at the 300 block of Southwest 14th Street in Chehalis. The vehicle has white after-market wheels, faded paint on its hood and has a doughnut-type spare tire installed on its right rear, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

TOOLS, EQUIPMENT MISSING FROM SHEDS

• A deputy responded yesterday to a report of a theft of about $2,000 worth of equipment from a maintenance shop of a business at the 2200 block of Centralia-Alpha Road outside Chehalis. It had occurred sometime between 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and 8:30 a.m. yesterday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Among the missing items are two Stihl weed eaters, two chainsaws and 20 gallons of gas, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A deputy took a report from the 200 block of Paradise Drive in Ashford about roughly $1,500 worth of power tools missing from a shop building, taken sometime between Tuesday and Friday, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning. Among the missing items are a power washer and a leaf blower, according to the sheriff’s office. There was no forced entry, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

PORCH PILFERING

• Centralia police were called to the 1000 block of K Street about 10:45 a.m. on Saturday to take a report of the theft of the contents from a delivery package.

YARD PILFERING

• A Honda lawn mower, reclining lawn chairs and several gardening tools were stolen from a back yard on the 500 block of South Gold Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 10:50 a.m. on Friday.

• Police were called about the theft of a hammock from the 500 block of South Gold Street in Centralia at about 8:20 a.m. on Friday.

BAD BILL

• Chehalis police were called about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday to the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue where an individual attempted to spend a counterfeit $100 bill. An officer spoke to the person and is trying to contact the individual who passed it along to him, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

DRUGS

• A deputy contacted a 47-year-old man about 3 o’clock this morning at the Doty store on the 200 block of Stevens Road who had allegedly been walking in the area and looking at people’s houses and subsequently arrested him for possession of methamphetamine. James L. Louthan, from Aberdeen, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• Centralia police are referring the case of a 47-year-old Centralia man to prosecutors for allegedly possessing illegal narcotics in a case from just after noon on Saturday associated with the 900 block of Long Road in Centralia.

• Centralia police arrested two men for possession of methamphetamine in a case associated with the 200 block of South Pearl Street from 3 p.m. on Friday. Daniel G. Church, 56, of Onalaska and Adam W. Dickerson, 43, of Centralia, were booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 19-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for driving under the influence following an approximately 2:15 a.m. call on Sunday about a single-vehicle collision on the 200 block of Penning Road outside Chehalis. There was no driver at the scene but a deputy contacted Jesus L. Lazo walking along on nearby state Route 6 and booked him into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, obstruction, driving with no license, protection order violation, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, misdemeanor assault, third-degree malicious mischief; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, suspicious circumstances, hit and run, vehicle collision, third-degree theft, runaway juvenile … and more among 471 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Hank: Judge declines to declassify dangerous dog

Monday, June 19th, 2017
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Jann Propp-Estimo holds back tears as her son Jason Estimo speaks with their lawyer.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A Lewis County judge ruled today the county should proceed to euthanize a pit bull terrier after viewing new evidence by an eyewitness that seemed to exonerate him in the killing of two goats.

The session this morning in Lewis County District Court follows a winding case in which the dog was deemed a dangerous animal under a county administrative process, but instead of being put down, was wrongly adopted out by the shelter to an unknowing Centralia family who handed Hank over when law enforcement came to retrieve him.

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Detained April, 2016

Jann Propp-Estimo, seated next to her attorney, let out a sob as Judge R.W. Buzzard made his pronouncement.

“I find by clear and convincing evidence Ms. York got it right,” Buzzard said. “This dog by our codes is dangerous.”

Propp-Estimo’s lawyer Adam Karp shared information with the court about Hank’s disposition from those at the Lewis County Animal Shelter had the dog in custody for several months and once again are holding him and from Propp-Estimo whose family owned him from January until May.

Karp brought the Winlock man who owned the goats to testify and filed a declaration from a neighbor who saw what happened last year.

Julianna Engel, according to a deputy’s report at the time, made statements such as the two dogs chased, bit and killed the goat, Buzzard said. Her more recent sworn declaration specified it was Hank’s mother who engaged in the attack.

“These two statements could not be more different from one another,” Buzzard said.

Judge Buzzard noted that Engel was not present at the hearing to be questioned, but a statement given so close in time to the event is presumed to be more believable, he said.

At the end of the approximately 90 minute hearing, Lewis County Civil Deputy Prosecutor David Fine was instructed to bring back an order for Hank to be euthanized. Judge Buzzard said his signature would start a clock ticking for 48 hours.

Karp said he will appeal and / or file a new lawsuit against the county.

“This is bullsh*t,” Winlock resident Steven Rohr said. “He was not part of it, he was wrongly accused.”

Rohr, the owner of the goats, was visibly upset as he and a fair-sized crowd exited the courtroom.

He had taken the stand in defense of the dog, pointing out what he saw on the video taken by his dash cam that day. At first, he was prejudiced against the pit bull he then knew as Tank, he said. But after speaking with Engel, he changed his mind.

“Hank is sitting right there, wagging his tail,” Rohr had told the court as he pointed to a segment of the video that was shown. The actual killing did not appear on the tape.

Also among those assembled in the lobby on the third floor of the Lewis County Law and Justice Center was Debra Parscal, who owned Tank at the time. She said that after the incident, she had to tell her children she couldn’t come up with the money to meet the county’s demands for $500,000 worth of liability insurance to be able to keep their dog.

Today’s hearing was held simultaneous to a meeting by the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners in which they approved an amendment to the dangerous dog ordinance that allowed the appeal in Lewis County District Court.

The dog’s situation came to to the attention of county authorities in May, when Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer advised commissioners he learned that instead of putting the dog down last year, the Lewis County Animal Shelter changed its name to Hank and adopted him to the new family, without disclosing his pertinent background.

Propp-Estimo took Hank to her rural Centralia home in January, then relocated him to her grown son and grandson’s home in town, because her other dog, Bruce Almighty, didn’t care for the new addition.

Jason Estimo was disappointed and unhappy with the judge’s ruling.

“It seemed, uh, kind of intellectually really dishonest,” Estimo said. “They changed the ordinance to save Hank, and Hank’s still going to be put down.
•••

For background, read “Possible reprieve for dog implicated in goats’ deaths” from Wednesday May 31, 2017, here

News brief: Nobody found inside after search through house fire rubble

Friday, June 16th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – No victims were found after a search was conducted through the remains of a house that burned yesterday in Centralia.

The vacant single-story house at the end of Alexander Street was fully engulfed in flames when a crew arrived following a 4:19 a.m. call yesterday reporting a tree on fire, according to authorities.

The roof collapsed making access to the interior impossible, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

Fire Chief Mike Kytta indicated yesterday afternoon that once the fire was brought under control, an excavator was brought in to remove debris to facilitate extinguishing the remaining fire.

They accessed the building to search for any victims and found none, according to Kytta. Centralia police have said officers frequently discovered unauthorized individuals inside the house.

The cause of the fire is classified as undetermined and the investigation remains open, according to Kytta.
•••

For background, read “News brief: Vacant Centralia house burns” from Thursday June 15, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Friday, June 16th, 2017
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•••

BURGLARY

• A deputy responded about 3:10 p.m. yesterday to a residential burglary at the 100 block of Morris Road in Randle in which the victim returned home to notice items out of place and then discovered a jewelry box, hunting knives and family memorabilia were missing, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A red Craftsman riding mower, an oxygen tank and an acetylene tank were stolen from the 300 block of Toledo-Vader Road sometime between May 31 and Saturday,  according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

IMPERSONATION ATTEMPT

• A 27-year-old Toledo man was arrested yesterday for identity theft after he allegedly gave someone else’s name as his own when contacted by a deputy. Darrell R. Jackson was wanted on an outstanding warrant and it turned out the person whose name he gave was also wanted, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The alleged deception was noticed when he was brought to be booked at the Lewis County Jail, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said this morning. Jackson allegedly got upset and broke a pay phone in a holding cell. The initial contact came when a deputy stopped a vehicle at the 100 block of Bethany Lane in Winlock about 2:30 p.m. and arrested Matthew T. Johnson, 46, of Winlock, for driving under the influence. Jackson was a passenger, according to Breen.

ARREST

• A 43-year-old Chehalis woman who went to the Chehalis Police Department to pick up some of her belongings there yesterday afternoon was arrested for second-degree possession of stolen property related to alleged checks which did not belong to her, according to police. Jennifer L. Davis, was also wanted on an outstanding warrant and was booked into the Lewis County Jail. Prosecutors however declined to file the felony charge at this time.

AUTO THEFT

• A 2005 Chevy Impala that had been reported stolen from Oakville was recovered at the 300 block of North Railroad Avenue in Centralia at about 5:45 p.m. yesterday, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VEHICLE PROWL

• An officer was called to the 100 block of Pioneer Way in Centralia about 9:25 a.m. yesterday where an unknown person had broken out a car window and stolen a cell phone, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute, suspicious circumstances, third-degree theft, protection order violation  … and more among 134 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, June 15th, 2017
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•••

SASQUATCH REPLICA MISSING

• Centralia police were contacted about 2:30 p.m. yesterday regarding the theft of a concrete Big Foot statue from a home on the 1600 block of Oxford Avenue.

GOLF CLUBS MISSING

• A deputy was called yesterday to investigate a burglary to a garage at the 1400 block of North Pearl Street in Centralia in which Craftsman tools and Tommy Armor golf clubs were taken. The loss is estimated at $1,260, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office said the break-in occurred between May 15 and Monday.

SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT MISSING

• A security camera was stolen from a residence in the 300 block of Centralia College Boulevard, according to a report made to the Centralia Police Department just before 9 p.m. yesterday.

• A closed-circuit television camera was stolen from the outside of a building on the 10 block of Southwest Chehalis Avenue, according to a report made to the Chehalis Police Department yesterday.

PUD SCAM

• A business on the 700 block of West Main Street reported to Chehalis police yesterday they’d received a call from someone pretending to be with Lewis County PUD and threatening to shut off their electricity. It was a scam, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

ASSAULT ALLEGED

• Chehalis police were called yesterday morning to Green Hill School to take a report of an incident that occurred a week earlier in which an 18-year-old student-inmate allegedly threw a game controller at a staff member.

THREAT ALLEGED

• Centralia police responded to a complaint of harassment yesterday from the 100 block of West Magnolia Street by issuing a summons to a 38-year-old Toledo resident. The episode involved allegedly threatening emails, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, probation violation, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, unfounded complaint, suspicious circumstances, third-degree theft … and more among 154 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Vacant Centralia house burns

Thursday, June 15th, 2017
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Smoke rises from the 1400 block of Alexander Street. / Courtesy photo by Joseph Bonomi

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralia police and firefighters responded to a call early this morning to a fire at a vacant single-story house frequented by unauthorized inhabitants.

It was found fully involved in flames and its roof eventually caved into its basement, according to the Centralia Police Department.

The home on the 1400 block of Alexander Street has been boarded up for some time, police Sgt. Kurt Reichert said.

Reichert said it’s a location where patrol officers have frequently found individuals staying there or trying to stay there. It has no electrical service, according to Reichert.

The fire department was not able to get inside and investigators likely won’t be able to either for quite awhile because of the remaining heat, Reichert said.

He said he understood a bull dozer would be brought in and that after materials are moved away, the basement will need to be pumped.