Archive for November, 2018

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, November 19th, 2018
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BIRD ALERTS WOMAN TO INTRUDER DURING SHOWER

• A female called Centralia police to the 1000 block of North Pearl Street reporting a possible burglary occurring while she was in the shower just after 8 p.m. on Friday. She heard her parrot squawking and when she came out to check she noticed things had been moved around in her living room, according to the Centralia Police Department. Nothing appeared to be missing, according to police.

MUGGED BY MASKED ASSAILANT

• Centralia police on Friday morning said they were investigating a report from about 10 a.m. the day before in which an individual said that approximately a week earlier, he was assaulted and held down by a person wearing a ski mask while a second person took money from his wallet. The case is associated with a location at Tilley Avenue and Main Street, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FIREARM THEFT

• Centralia police were contacted about 2:45 a.m. today to take a report of a Smith and Wesson 40 caliber pistol getting stolen from the 900 block of E Street.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• Centralia police called about 3:20 p.m. on Sunday to the 1300 block of Lum Road arrested a pair of 20-year-old Seattle residents for alleged shoplifting. One of them who allegedly provided a false name to officers was also arrested for criminal impersonation, according to the Centralia Police Department. Nubia A. Simpson was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• Centralia police were called just before 1:30 p.m. on Saturday to the 1300 block of Rhobina Street in where construction materials were reported stolen by an unknown suspect or suspects.

• A Chehalis resident contacted police about 11:25 a.m. on Friday to report she’d been tricked into giving out her social security number to a caller who claimed to be investigating criminal activity related to her social security card. An officer took a report and gave some advice to the victim, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• An individual called Chehalis police about 6:30 p.m. on Thursday following the discovery their license plate was missing from their vehicle at the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue. A check of surveillance images showed the theft must have occurred elsewhere, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Chehalis police called about 9:10 a.m. on Thursday to the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue for a woman who reportedly tried to pay for a meal with a counterfeit $100 bill arrested her for third-degree theft and then allegedly discovered two more of the fake bills on her, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Rebecca J. Harrison, from Bremerton, was was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• Numerous pieces of mail were found lying in the roadway in the area of Sirkka Avenue and Carson Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 9:10 a.m. on Thursday.

DRUGS

• A 42-year-old Chehalis man was arrested just after 2 o’clock this morning at Johnson Road and Borst Avenue in Centralia for possession of methamphetamine and for felon in possession of a firearm. Josafat Acuna-Rios was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called to the 300 block of Southwest 16th Street about 9:10 a.m. on Friday because a 16-year-old allegedly brought a marijuana pipe to school. A case is being referred to prosecutors for possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

PANHANDLING

• A 59-year-old was arrested by police for alleged panhandling at Harrison Avenue and Interstate 5 in Centralia at around 11:40 a.m. on Friday, according to the Centralia Police Department. Daniel W. Schroeder,Sr., of Centralia, was issued a citation and then released, according to police.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police were called to the 1400 block of Harrison Avenue about 6:40 a.m. on Friday to take a report of a vehicle windshield getting smashed during the night.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, reckless driving, driving under the influence, protection order violation, driving with suspended license, fourth-degree domestic assault, third-degree malicious mischief, making a false statement to a public servant, driving without required ignition interlock device; responses for alarm, dispute, shoplifting, hit and run, civil issue, vehicle collision, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances, misdemeanor theft, misdemeanor assault and more among 488 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 96-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Criminal charges filed in Pe Ell gunshot death

Thursday, November 15th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 20-year-old man has been charged with second-degree manslaughter for an incident in which his brother was fatally shot this past spring  in the Pe Ell home they shared, which a witness described as unintentional.

But Cody A. Smith, 20, was “messing with the gun stupidly,” a female witness told authorities.

Austin Smith, 21, died of a gunshot wound to the chest, Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod said at the time.

It happened the morning of April 28 at their residence on the 500 block of Third Street in Pe Ell, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Cody Smith was summonsed to appear in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday and was released on his own personal recognizance. Charges were filed Aug. 1. His arraignment was scheduled for this morning. He is represented by Centralia defense attorney Don Blair.

Charging documents allege Cody removed his brother’s gun from his brother’s dresser and went into the living room, having clipped the holster to his shorts.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer writes that the defendant described what happened in a couple of different ways. He said he tried to pull the firearm and turn it and it went off, according to Meyer. In another conversation he indicated he was trying to put the gun away when it discharged, Meyer wrote.

Cody denied ever removing it from the holster, but the female witness recalled the gun was out of the holster, according to Meyer.

Sheriff’s deputies and aid were called to the home at 8:55 a.m. that day. Austin Smith died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

The allegation is Cody Smith caused the death with criminal negligence. The offense has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.

An additional allegation that the defendant was armed with a firearm at the time would mean an additional five years would be tacked on to his sentence, if convicted.

A trial was scheduled for the week of June 24 in Lewis County Superior Court.
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For background, read “Fatal shooting of man by brother in Pe Ell under investigation” from Monday April 30, 2018, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, November 15th, 2018
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Updated

ATTEMPTED CRAIGSLIST FRAUD

• Centralia police said they’ve received numerous reports of properties in the Centralia area being listed for rent online on Craigslist in which an unauthorized person has been trying to collect personal information from prospective renters. Members of the public should be mindful of the fake advertisements and make sure to confirm any person soliciting renters is authorized to do so, police advise.

BURGLARY

• Centralia police were called to the 900 block of Goff Street at 10:40 a.m. yesterday where multiple items have been stolen from a garage within the previous couple weeks. The case is under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• Chehalis police were called to the 1500 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue about 9:45 a.m. yesterday where they took a report of an overnight vehicle prowl in which a jacket was taken and a fuel line was cut.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Deputies dispatched at about 2:15 a.m. today for a wreck in which a car struck a power pole in Packwood – breaking the pole nearly in half about halfway up – found the Honda Civic partially wrapped around the case of the pole and resting in the westbound ditch. It happened in the area of the 300 block of Cannon Road and the 26-year-old driver suffered multiple injuries to his face and body, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The driver, Kyler M. Calderon, was transported to Morton General Hospital, according to the sheriff’s office. Calderon allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana, sheriff’s Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said. Deputies applied for a search warrant for blood, and expect Calderon to be charged by prosecutors with driving under the influence, but due to the nature of his injuries, the Packwood resident was not booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to Kimsey.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, third-degree theft, driving under the influence, driving with no license, protection order violation, driving with suspended license, fourth-degree domestic assault; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances and more among 109 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

Wednesday, November 14th, 2018
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FRAUD, FRAUD, FRAUD

• Chehalis police were called about 4:15 p.m. yesterday to take a report about a fraudulent check in a case associated with the 300 block of North Chehalis Avenue.

• Chehalis police were contacted about 11:35 a.m. yesterday to investigate a potential forgery associated with a check in which the payee had been changed.

• The fraudulent use of a credit card is currently under investigation in a case reported just before 8 o’clock yesterday morning associated with the 1300 block of Belmont Avenue in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

EXPOSED

• Chehalis police yesterday began investigating a report of indecent exposure allegedly by an inmate-student at Green Hill School in Chehalis, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

TRAIN TRACK DEATH

• The Lewis County Coroner’s Office today released the name of the woman who was struck and killed by a train at the crossing on Rogers Road in Chehalis on Sunday. She is 55-year-old Julie A. Carr of Chehalis, according to Coroner Warren McLeod. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office has said a pedestrian stepped out in front of an Amtrak passenger train about noon on Sunday when the crossing arms were down. Amtrak police and the sheriff’s office are investigating the death.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, harassment, shoplifting, vandalism, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances and more among 124 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

Tuesday, November 13th, 2018
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Updated

HOUSE FIRE

• Firefighters called at 12:08 a.m. today for a fire at a one-story home on the 1700 block of Kresky Avenue were able to control the blaze within about 20 minutes, according to Riverside Fire Authority. A male occupant who was home at the time said he discovered a fire burning in the garage and attempted to extinguish it prior to calling 911, according to Fire Capt. Scott Weinert. The building sustained extensive damage, according to Weinert. Nobody was injured. The cause is under investigation.

FRAUD

• Centralia police were called to the 600 block of G Street about 9:35 a.m. on Monday to take a report of a possible fraud involving eBay. The situation is under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were contacted about 11:10 a.m. on Friday by an individual at the 300 block of Latona Street who reported she learned her credit card had been used out of state. She had gotten a phone call the night before from someone claiming to be from a fraud department, and provided information to them, according to the Centralia Police Department. The charges happened the next day, according to police.

SECOND-DEGREE THEFT

• Several display cell phones were stolen from a retailer at the 1200 block of Lum Road by two teenage males who fled the store on foot and then were last seen driving off in a blue Honda-type vehicle, according to a report made to Centralia police about 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

BREAK-IN

• Chehalis police were called about 9:40 a.m. on Friday by an individual who went inside to do some work at a building on the 400 block of North Market Boulevard and found a window had been broken and it appeared someone had been inside. Nothing seemed to be missing, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were called to the 200 block of West Walnut Street just before 7 p.m. on Saturday where a black 2000 Honda Accord had been stolen. The missing car has a license plate reading AKF 4547, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• The owner of a 2013 lime-green Ford Mustang called police about 10:35 a.m. on Saturday to report their car went missing from the 10 block of Southwest Cascade Avenue in Chehalis. The Mustang turned up in Pierce County about 10:30 p.m. on Monday, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

VEHICLE PROWL

• Chehalis police were called about 7:25 p.m. on Sunday to take a report that someone stole a “portable plate compactor” from inside the unlocked canopy of a truck in a parking lot at the 1700 block of Southwest Louisiana Avenue. The “well-used” piece of equipment has a yellow with orange fuel tank and a folding handle, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Its value is about $1,200, according to police.

• Chehalis police were called just after 3 p.m. on Sunday after the discovery that someone removed a purse and headphones from a locked vehicle in a parking lot at the 500 block of South Market Boulevard.

• Centralia police were called about 8:20 a.m. on Saturday to the 300 block of East Maple Street to take a report of a car prowl. Someone threw a rock through the window of the victim’s vehicle and stole her purse, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called about 11:40 a.m. on Friday by an individual at the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue who said they left groceries and craft supplies in the back of their pickup and when they returned, the items were gone.

• A coat with a money order in the pocket was stolen from a parked vehicle at the 300 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 3:15 p.m. on Thursday.

• Centralia police were contacted about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday by an individual who reported that sometime within the previous few hours someone entered their unlocked vehicle at the 200 block of South Tower Avenue and stole a wallet and debit card.

• Centralia police were contacted about 9:35 a.m. on Wednesday by an individual who reported that sometime during the night someone entered their unlocked car at the 100 block of North Saxon Street and stole money out of the glove box.

DRUGS

• Centralia police picked up a 54-year-old Centralia man on an outstanding warrant at about 11 p.m. on Saturday at the 900 block of Harrison Avenue and allegedly found he was in possession of methamphetamine. Daniel R. Randall was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police were called to the 1400 block of Harrison Avenue about 1:35 p.m. on Monday to take a report of vandalism to a tire.

• Four vehicle tires were slashed during the night at the 200 block of Jefferson Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 8:50 a.m. on Thursday.

FONDLING, EXPOSING

• Centralia police were called about 5:20 p.m. on Friday on a report that an elderly man had fondled an elderly woman at the 900 block of South Scheuber Road. The alleged incident is under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police are investigating after getting a call to the 2100 block of North National Avenue just before 3 p.m. on Friday from a female who said a male came into her place of business and exposed himself. Another store owner asked him to leave and he did, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The suspect had reddish hair and possibly a goatee, according to police.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Troopers are blaming a wreck on U.S. Highway 12 near Winston Creek Road Monday on inattention and illegal passing on the part of a 79-year-old Morton man. He was uninjured but the driver of the car he hit was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol. Troopers called to the scene about three miles west of Mossyrock at 2:11 p.m. determined that Margaret L. Howell, 62, of Olympia, was traveling eastbound and when she slowed to make a left turn onto Baker Drive, the vehicle behind her slowed as well, but the next car back moved into the oncoming lane to pass and struck her car. Robert L. Muir, of Morton, was issued a citation for illegal passing, according to the state patrol. Both cars were towed.

• Centralia police were called to the 700 block of South Tower Avenue about 7:30 a.m. on Sunday where a motorist drove the wrong way on a one way street and caused a wreck, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• An adult male was issued a notice of infraction for leaving his unlocked vehicle parked on the roadway with the engine running and unattended at about 8:15 p.m. on Thursday at the 300 block of East Maple Street in Centralia.

TRAIN TRACK DEATH

• A woman was killed by a train on Sunday at the crossing on Rogers Road in Chehalis. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said it happened about noon. Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said the woman stepped out in front of an Amtrak passenger train when the crossing arms were down. It was witnessed by a motorist waiting for the train to pass, according to Kimsey. The death is being investigated by the Amtrak police and the sheriff’s office, according to Kimsey.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, hit and run, trespassing, driving under the influence, fourth-degree assault, protection order violation, driving with suspended license, violation of no contact order, driving without required ignition interlock device; responses for alarm, dispute, shoplifting, hit and run, shoplifting, civil issue, trespassing, vehicle collision, disorderly person, misdemeanor  theft, misdemeanor assault, suspicious circumstances, protection order violation and more among 739 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the six-day period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Coroner: Homeless Centralia woman died from drowning

Thursday, November 8th, 2018

Updated at 12:05 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 28-year-old Centralia woman whose body was pulled from the Skookumchuck River last month drowned, the  Lewis County Coroner’s Office said today.

Coroner Warren McLeod said his investigation is completed and he is labeling the manner of death for Kimberly A. Gotcher as undetermined. That’s not unusual, he said.

“The vast majority of unwitnessed drownings are listed as undetermined,” McLeod said. “None of us knows how she ended up in the water.”

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office has described Gotcher as a homeless person who had a campsite under a bridge nearby.

Deputies called to Schaefer Park just northeast of Centralia about 12:38 p.m. on Oct. 21 recovered Gotcher’s body from the river. There were no obvious signs of what caused her death, authorities said at the time.

The sheriff’s office has not shared information about who found her in the river or who called 911 that day. Today a sheriff’s office spokesperson indicated they won’t talk about the case until after their work on it completed.

McLeod said the autopsy showed indications that she drowned, but he waited for the results of toxicology tests before finalizing his conclusions.

The coroner’s office paid a private lab for the testing, because the turnaround time from the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab has, in at least one local case, grown to more than six months.
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For background, read “News brief: Coroner has no cause of death for woman found in river” from Thursday October 25, 2018, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, November 7th, 2018
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ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Centralia police were called about 5:20 p.m. yesterday to South Pearl and Locust streets where a vehicle hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk and then drove away from the scene. A 17-year-old girl later contacted police and identified herself, according to the Centralia Police Department. A case is being referred to prosecutors for a charge of hit and run, according to police.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• Centralia police were called to the 500 block of South King Street about 6:35 p.m. yesterday where an attempted burglary was reported. A window was broken out where the unknown suspect apparently tried to gain entry, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police were called about 5:05 p.m. yesterday to the 1100 block of Grand Avenue in Centralia where a skateboard, a bicycle and foot scooter had been stolen over the previous several nights.

• A battery operated leaf blower was reported stolen from the 1300 block of View Avenue at about 4:45 p.m. yesterday, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Money was reported stolen by an unknown person from a locked container in the victim’s room at the 1300 block of Alexander Street in Centralia yesterday.

DRUGS

• Centralia police contacted a 40-year-old Olympia man about 8:40 p.m. yesterday at the 1200 block of Alder Street, for driving with a suspended license, they also allegedly found suspected drugs on him. Vince P. Perazzo was booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of methamphetamine and referred for a charge of operating a motor vehicle without a required ignition interlock device, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, resisting arrest, probation violation, third-degree theft, possession of stolen vehicle, fourth-degree domestic assault; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, vehicle collision, disorderly person, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances and more among 139 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.