Archive for July, 2017

News brief: Jail chemical exposure incident was ‘mild’

Tuesday, July 11th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Some of the victims complained of itchy skin and burning eyes but nobody had to be hospitalized following the cleaning chemical accident that caused a portion of the Lewis County Jail to be evacuated over the weekend.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said today an inmate working in the kitchen inadvertently mixed together a mild bleach solution and a de-limer.

The instant reaction involved an odor and concerns about fumes, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

Two staff members and approximately eight inmates were removed from the kitchen area and evaluated by jail medical personnel. The sheriff’s office said it happened shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and the main jail population was unaffected.

The Chehalis Fire Department responded to ventilate the area. Personnel from the state Department of Ecology disposed of the bucket of material, Undersheriff Wes Rethwill said today.

“They said it was a mild reaction,” Rethwill said of DOE.

Rethwill called it an unfortunate situation in which the inmate was trying to do the right thing, but grabbed the wrong solution.

“We’re still trying to figure out how we can do better,” he said.

The kitchen was cleared for use by 5 p.m., according to Rethwill.
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For background, read “News brief: Jail kitchen emptied out because of chemical exposure” from Saturday July 8, 2017, here

News brief: Tenino motorcyclist dies at Harborview

Tuesday, July 11th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Tenino motorcyclist who was in critical condition yesterday morning from a Friday evening wreck passed away yesterday, according to authorities.

Sky M. Lelo, 38, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle following the collision on state Route 507 near O’Connor Road in south Thurston County.

The Washington State Patrol has only said that he was traveling on a Harley Davidson XL1200 when he attempted to avoid traffic and was ejected. He was wearing a helmet and its unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role, according to the investigating trooper.

The state patrol initially said Lelo was headed northbound but in information released yesterday evening said the Harley was headed southbound.
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For background, read “News brief: Tenino motorcyclist in critical condition” from Monday July 10, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, July 10th, 2017
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Updated

BURGLARY CENTRALIA

• Centralia police were called about 10:40 p.m. on Saturday about a break-in to a business on the 500 block of West Main Street. A yellow Huffy bicycle and tools were stolen, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Kimberly R. Terrell, 40, of Georgia, was arrested about 9:35 a.m. yesterday for second-degree possession of stolen property, third-degree malicious mischief and trespassing, according to the Centralia Police Department. A yellow bicycle that had been stolen the night before was recovered. Terrell was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police. Prosecutors declined to file the felony charge today.

AUTO THEFT

A 30-year-old Tacoma man was arrested in connection with a stolen car found fully engulfed in flames on Saturday afternoon approximately three miles up Forest Service Road 73 near Morton. Deputies responding about 3:25 p.m. to the silver 1997 Honda Accord partially over an embankment spoke to an individual who said they’d spoken to a young man inside the (not-yet-burned) car asking for help to get it pulled out, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Joshua L. Gunderson, 30, from Tacoma, was contacted walking away from the scene, according to the sheriff’s office. The car had been stolen out of Tacoma, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said. Gunderson was booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, Kimsey said. Felony charges are not being filed pending further investigation.

• A vehicle reported stolen from Portland on July 1 was found on Saturday in Centralia at the 900 block of South Silver Street, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OTHER THEFT

• Centralia police took a report about 6:30 p.m. yesterday from the 1200 block of North Washington Avenue of the theft of medication.

• Morton police are investigating at least one complaint of a theft from a campsite, reported yesterday morning at the 700 block of Main Street.

• Centralia police were contacted about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday to take a report of the theft of a child’s car seat. The victim said it had been left in an acquaintance’s vehicle, in the case associated with an address on the 400 block of Brock Street, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Several pieces of mail were turned in to the Chehalis Police Department on Saturday which had been found discarded by someone’s house in Thurston County.

• Morton police took a report last Wednesday night from the 200 block of Second Street of six checks stolen totaling $1,150. The investigation is ongoing, according to the Morton Police Department.

VEHICLE PROWL

• In a case associated with the 500 block of Yew Street in Centralia early yesterday morning, vehicle registration paperwork was stolen from a vehicle. Officers located and returned the paperwork to the owner, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• An officer was called just before 3 p.m. yesterday about a 48-inch LED off-road light bar stolen during the night from the 300 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia.

• Centralia police took a report just before 9 a.m. yesterday of a 54-inch LED off-road light bar stolen overnight from the 400 block of South Iron Street.

• Chehalis police were called about 10:30 a.m. on Saturday to take a report of tools taken out of a truck parked at the dealership on Northwest State Avenue.

• Chehalis police were called just before 10 a.m. on Saturday to the 200 block of Southwest Second Street regarding a chainsaw and a weed trimmer stolen from the back of a pickup truck during the night. Officers were called back to the same location about 11:40 p.m. and arrested the 31-year-old owner of the truck for reckless endangerment, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Benny J. Dyer allegedly had gone to his truck, retrieved a rifle and fired off a round, according to police. He said it was accidental, Sgt. Gwen Carrell said. Dyer was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

DRUGS

• A 39-year-old Centralia resident arrested on an outstanding warrant last night was also arrested for possession of meth when a search turned up a small baggie of suspected methamphetamine, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement had been searching for a runaway juvenile when they contacted Lance J. Myhre walking into a convenience store at the 400 block of West Main Street in Centralia, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A 20-year-old Rochester man arrested with another subject for alleged shoplifting at Northwest Louisiana Avenue in Chehalis on Friday night was subsequently also arrested for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Chase A. Deguise was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• The Morton Police Department reported today that a boy on a bicycle was hit was a passing unloaded log truck in the area of Third Street and Main Avenue at about 2 p.m. on June 28. The boy had reportedly rode across a street without looking and did not have any injuries, but was transported to the hospital as a precaution, according to police.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, protection order violation, shoplifting, fourth-degree assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vandalism, hit and run, vehicle collision, misdemeanor assault, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances … and more among 292 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 48-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Tenino motorcyclist in critical condition

Monday, July 10th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The motorcyclist injured on state Route 507 near O’Connor Road Friday night is in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Sky M. Lelo, 38, from Tenino, is in the intensive care unit, hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg said this morning.

Troopers called to the scene in south Thurston County just after 6:30 p.m. on Friday determined Lelo had been traveling northbound on a Harley Davidson XL1200 when he attempted to avoid traffic and was ejected.
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For background, read “News brief: Motorcyclist injured on state Route 507” from Saturday July 8, 2017, here

Eluding defendant’s many cases bundled up for sentence to mental health assistance

Sunday, July 9th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 54-year-old rural Chehalis man who struck another vehicle during a lengthy high-speed police pursuit along U.S. Highway 12 at the east end of the county in May has been sentenced to the mental health alternatives program

James P. Sauter was contacted by police at least three times that month in Centralia, Chehalis and then finally when he turned his truck into a field and got it stuck on a log about 21 miles east of White Pass on May 25.

Callers to 911 reported the white Dodge pickup truck with emergency lights installed in its grill was traveling at a high rate of speed and forcing other drivers to pull off the road. Authorities said he had a silver badge pinned to his vest and a can of pepper spray in his pocket when he was apprehended.

Lewis County Prosecutor Will Halstead told a judge in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday he combined the charges with cases from municipal courts.

Halstead and defense attorney Jacob Clark entered into a plea agreement which Judge Joely O’Rourke accepted.

Sauter pleaded guilty to attempting to elude, hit and run attended, use of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Only the first count is a felony and it carried a standard sentencing range of two to five months in jail.

He had already spent about 49 days in jail and the lawyers asked the judge to suspend the rest of his time for two years with various conditions related to the mental health alternative program and allow him release on Friday.

Clark said he felt it was a resolution which would help keep both Sauter and the community safe.

He said his client would be taken directly to a short stay at a hospital diversion house. He said Sauter would be back in court for reviews, weekly at first.
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For background, read “Driver with flashing grill lights, badge arrested after police chase” from Friday May 26, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Saturday, July 8th, 2017
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THEFT CENTRALIA

•  A motorcycle was reported stolen from a resident’s carport area at the 500 block of Yew Street in Centralia early yesterday morning. A stereo was also taken from a vehicle parked in the driveway, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called to the 2000 block of Borst Avenue about 10 a.m. yesterday where a burglary to a shed was reported in which some keys were stolen.

• Six lighted fence post caps were reported stolen during the night from the 1300 block of Eckerson Road in Centralia, according to a report made to police on Thursday morning.

• A business at the 200 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia reported yesterday they had received a fake – motion picture money – $100 bill, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A package containing opened mail was found by citizens and turned in the Centralia Police Department on Thursday. The items were bill payments from various citizens to businesses, according to police. It was determined that the suspect or suspects are using something sticky to “fish” the mail out of U.S. Post Service mailboxes.

• A summons was issued to a 29-year-old Centralia woman for third-degree possession of stolen property in connection with a bicycle, which was returned to its owner on Thursday, according to the Centralia Police Department.

THEFT CHEHALIS

• Chehalis police were called to the 700 block of Northwest New York Avenue following a report of a burglary to a garage on Thursday afternoon.

SCAMMED

• A Centralia resident lost more than $2,000 when she was tricked in an apartment rental scam, according to the Centralia Police Department. The 21-year-old woman sent the funds via a money service to a person supposedly in another state, never received the paperwork and figured out it was a scam, according to police. She reported it on Thursday.

VEHICLE PROWL

• Centralia police were called about 7:20 a.m. today for a vehicle that had been rummaged through during the night at the 600 block of Yew Street. It’s unknown if anything was taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Sunglasses and a backpack were reported stolen overnight from a vehicle parked at the 600 block of South Ash Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 7:20 a.m. today.

• An officer responding to a 2:35 a.m. call today for a vehicle prowl at the 600 block of South Washington Avenue in Centralia took note a set of keys had been taken.

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported yesterday that $980 cash was stolen from one of three vehicles which were prowled at the 100 block of Cheney Drive in Glenoma sometime between 9 p.m. on Wednesday and 4:45 a.m. on Thursday.

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported yesterday that someone entered a motorhome at the 100 block of Thompson Road in Cinebar and stole a 42-inch flat screen television, a DVD player and a 1972 Honda XL250 motorbike. The theft was reported on Thursday and occurred sometime since April 1, according to the sheriff’s office.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• At least five and possibly six vehicles were damaged when a man behind the wheel of a sedan suffered a medical emergency yesterday in the parking lot at the Twin City Town Center in Chehalis. Firefighters called to the scene at 12:25 p.m. report the driver was taken to the hospital with bumps and bruises but nobody else was injured.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, shoplifting, disorderly conduct, misdemeanor assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, protection order violation; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vandalism, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 369 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 48-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Jail kitchen emptied out because of chemical exposure

Saturday, July 8th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An inmate working in the kitchen at the Lewis County Jail inadvertently mixed household cleaning chemicals today causing a reaction that prompted an evacuation from a portion of the facility.

The chemical exposure was contained to the kitchen area, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said the main jail population is unaffected.

The kitchen area was evacuated, with two staff members and approximately eight inmates removed to be evaluated by jail medical personnel, according to Breen.

The Chehalis Fire Department responded to the call shortly after 3:30 p.m. and began to ventilate the area as well as contain the mixture of chemicals into one container, according to Breen.

Hazardous materials response personnel are en route in order to dispose of the mixture, he stated in a press release.

The sheriff’s office is asking the public to limit phone calls to the jail while clean up operations are underway.

Breen said he didn’t know what the inmate worker mixed together or specifically how anyone was affected.