Archive for July, 2018

News brief: Person shot at Chehalis residence

Saturday, July 28th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Chehalis police and firefighters called about 11:30 p.m. on Friday for a shooting at a house on Southwest First Street found a man inside with a wound on his upper arm, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

He was treated and transported to Providence Centralia Hospital for what initially appeared to be an accident involving another person, according to the fire department.

There was nobody from the police department to provide any information today.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Saturday, July 28th, 2018
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THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• Centralia police were called to the 3000 block of Borst Avenue about 6:20 p.m. on Friday to take a report of a package theft.

• The theft of money was reported by a resident at the 1300 block of Alexander Street in Centralia via the police online reporting system on Friday, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called about 10:50 a.m. on Friday to the 1300 block of Sunset Way where over the past week, several items had been stolen from a person’s yard.

FOOD TRUCK CATCHES FIRE

• Firefighters were called about 7:30 p.m. on Friday to the 200 block of Southwest 13th Street in Chehalis when a fire broke out on a food truck at Penny Playground. Heavy flames and smoke engulfed the back end of the converted bus, but the crew was joined by members of Lewis County Fire District 6 in putting it out and nobody was hurt, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, third-degree theft, driving with no license, driving with suspended license, driving under the influence, fourth-degree assault; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, harassment, disorderly person, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 170 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Person who lived in vehicle discovered deceased in Chehalis parking lot

Friday, July 27th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Chehalis police, firefighters and the coroner were called yesterday afternoon when a man was found dead inside a car in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Chehalis.

The gray Buick was parked in the northeast corner of the lot on the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue and apparently had not moved for at least a couple of days, according to authorities.

Police don’t suspect foul play, Chehalis Police Department spokesperson Linda Bailey said. But the Lewis County Coroner’s Office will look into why he died, Bailey said.

The 52-year-old man had been living out of his vehicle, Bailey said.

The 911 call came in at 3:04 p.m. The fire department had to break a window to gain access.

Fire Capt. Ted McCarty said he learned the man visited a friend in the area pretty much every day, a friend who had last seen him a couple of days earlier and after growing concerned, went to Wal-Mart to check on him and discovered he was dead.

McCarty said the victim was from Texas. The coroner is expected to release his name after contacting next-of-kin.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Friday, July 27th, 2018
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Updated

BREAK-IN PACKWOOD

• A deputy was called about 4:45 p.m. on Thursday for a burglary at a vacation home on the 100 block of Tunnel Lane in Packwood. Forced entry was made by prying a door and the house was ransacked, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It occurred on or about June 29 and among the items preliminarily found to be missing were alcohol, food and clothing, according to the sheriff’s office.

OTHER THEFT

• Chehalis police were called about 9 a.m. on Thursday to take a report of a suspected identity theft associated with the 300 block of South Market Boulevard after a 66-year-old woman received a letter requesting more information regarding her application for a retail store credit card. The victim contacted the business to notify them she had not applied for a card, according to the Chehalis Police Department. About a month earlier, the victim had been contacted by another credit card company telling her that her application had been accepted and charges had been made, according to police. The transactions were cancelled, police said.

• A deputy was called to the 300 block of Winston Creek Road about 10:45 a.m. on Thursday to take a report that sometime on Tuesday night, someone siphoned fuel from a boat and a jet ski.

CAR PROWL

• A vehicle prowl was reported at about 10:35 a.m. on Thursday in which the victim found their vehicle had been rummaged through while parked at the 300 block of Harrison Avenue. Nothing was said to be missing, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police were called to the 400 block of West Magnolia Street in Centralia about 8:15 a.m. on Thursday following the discovery several CDs and a document were stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

DRUGS

• Chehalis police called about 9:30 a.m. on Thursday to a store on the 500 block of South Market Boulevard ended up arresting a woman for an outstanding warrant and for possession of a controlled substance. Amanda B. Smith, 25, of Centralia,  was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Chehalis police were called to the 10 block of Northeast Park Street about 9:30 a.m. on Thursday following the discovery that someone had vandalized a metal sculpture of a little girl on a bench reading a book by removing the book she held in her hands. The damage to the statue that sits next to the fountain is estimated at $200, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

LOST AND FOUND

• A Kyocera cell phone was turned in as found property to the Centralia Police Department on Thursday, associated with a location on the 100 block of South Silver Street. No contact information was found on the phone, according to police.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, third-degree theft, driving with suspended license, driving under the influence, protection order violation, third-degree domestic malicious mischief; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, misdemeanor theft, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances … and more among 182 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Husband jailed for arson in Winlock house fire

Friday, July 27th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a fire that destroyed a mobile home on the 300 block of Minkler Road in Winlock earlier this month which was attributed to a marital dispute.

His wife was not home at the time, but lost about $5,000 worth of her belongings in the blaze that occurred on July 13, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

The husband, Jason B. Buchanan, allegedly started the fire between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. that day, according to the sheriff’s office. His wife had been socializing with a 28-year-old male friend who Buchanan allegedly threatened to kill, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said.

Buchanan was booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree arson, felony harassment and for an unrelated case of third-degree malicious mischief, according to Kimsey.

Firefighters responded on July 13 to fully engulfed single-wide mobile home in a trailer park. A fire investigator and sheriff’s detective J.S. Humphrey looked into the cause.

The mobile home, valued at about $15,000, was a total loss, according to Kimsey.

Investigators reportedly found Buchanan made statements to various people about causing the fire, Kimsey stated in a press release.

Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza in a written statement praised the outstanding performance and team work by his detective and the investigator from the Chehalis Fire Department in “solving a crime like this that devastated a family, and could have impacted so many more if the fire had spread to other homes.”

Buchanan is tentatively scheduled to be brought before a judge this afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court in Chehalis.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, July 26th, 2018
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Updated

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY CENTRALIA

• Centralia police were called to a home on the 200 block of West Magnolia Street about 10:10 p.m. on Wednesday where a  door and its lock had been damaged sometime during the daylight hours in what appeared to be an attempt to break in.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• A bicycle was stolen from the 100 block of South Rock Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 8:35 p.m. on Wednesday. The investigation continues, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called to a store on the 700 block of South Market Boulevard about 3:25 p.m. on Wednesday where a woman said her purse had been stolen from a shopping cart while she was away from it for a couple of minutes. Taken was a beige Michael Kors handbag, according to the Chehalis Police Department

• Chehalis police were called about 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday after a pick up truck left a gas station on the 600 block of West Main Street without paying for about $70 worth of fuel.

•  A flower pot was reported stolen from the porch of a residence on the 800 block of West First Street in Centralia at about 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday.

• A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy was called about 11:50 a.m. on Wednesday regarding a theft of a wallet from a vehicle in the parking lot at Ike Kinswa State Park on the 800 block of state Route 122.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police were called about 12:05 a.m. today for a vehicle that was extensively damaged while parked in the 200 block of East Chestnut Street. A suspect has been identified, according to the Centralia Police Department.

HARASSMENT

• A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy was called about 6:25 p.m. on Wednesday to a report of harassment near an RV park off U.S. Highway 12 south of Chehalis. A notation was made for informational purposes only, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy was called about 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday to a report of harassment near a gas station off U.S. Highway 12 south of Chehalis. Further details were not readily available this morning.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy was called about 9:07 p.m. on Wednesday to a report of an accident on Riverdance Lane near Packwood. The call turned out to be unfounded, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, trespassing, third-degree theft, attempt to elude, driving with suspended license, driving under the influence, third-degree malicious mischief, driving without required ignition interlock device; responses for alarm, dispute, hit and run, civil issue, misdemeanor theft, disorderly person, misdemeanor assault, suspicious circumstances, dog alone inside parked vehicle … and more among 156 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Uptick in reports of telephone fraud attempts in Lewis County

Wednesday, July 25th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Local law enforcement agencies have recently gotten a large number of reports from members of the public who have received phone calls from scammers attempting to trick people into sending them money or revealing personal information.

The bogus collection calls are coming from numerous long distance phone numbers, according to Centralia Police Department detective Patty Finch.

“The callers are identifying themselves as the IRS or warrant service companies,” Finch stated in a press release yesterday. “In most reports, the callers are telling the victims that a warrant has been issued for their arrest or they are being sued.”

The Centralia Police Department, the Chehalis Police Department and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office have all been getting reports from potential victims, Finch said.

Some scammers are requesting peoples’ credit card information over the telephone.

The Internal Revenue Service does not telephone individuals to demand immediate payment and does not require a specific method of payment such as a prepaid debit card, a gift card or a wire transfer. Generally, the federal agency will first mail taxpayers a bill if any taxes are owed.

The IRS will never ask for credit card or debit card numbers over the phone.

Finch cautions members of the public to use caution when speaking with any callers and to never provide bank card information until after independently confirming a request is legitimate.

For more information about various tax scams, check the IRS website, here