Updated at 6:26 p.m.
300 POUND NUDE DUDE GETS AWAY
• It was the middle of the night in Morton when two officers pulled over an erratically driven vehicle. As the driver began to get out of his car, Deputy Susan Shannon noticed he was entirely nude. He said, he just wanted to stop and say hello, and that he had to go home now. An attempt to get him to stick around with a Taser failed to connect. The man got back in the vehicle, put it in gear and drove off, blowing through a stop sign at 40 mph and then heading east on U.S. Highway 12. With emergency lights flashing, both in marked patrol cars, Shannon and Morton Police Officer Perry Royale pursued the naked motorist at speeds up to 80 mph toward White Pass, but finally gave up for safety reasons. Since they knew he lived in Yakima, they figured he was probably headed home. So say the charging documents that were filed after the August 17th event. The man believed to be the unclothed driver appeared in Lewis County Superior Court yesterday, where his lawyer asked for a continuance. Sam Groberg told the judge he finally got a chance to sit down and discuss the case, and some of its odd facts, with his client earlier in the day. “I think it would be beneficial for him to talk to someone, such as Dr. Trowbridge,” Groberg said, referencing a state psychiatrist. “You mean, you’re wondering about his mental state, at the time this allegedly occurred?” the judge asked. Yes, was the response. Joshua L. Hunter, who is free on bail, is charged with one count of attempting to elude. The 40-year-old Yakima resident, whose information lists him at 6-feet 5-inches tall and 300 pounds, was identified by the deputy through his vehicle registration and a photo on his driver’s license. Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg had no objection to postponing the trial. “It’s apparent this is a plausible defense,” he said. The matter was rescheduled for April.
CAR PROWL BIG AND SMALL
• Someone broke into a vehicle on the 800 block of Hillburger Road west of Chehalis and stole a tool valued at more than $18,000, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The item, a locator used to identify utility lines in construction areas, was taken sometime between 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 6:30 a.m. yesterday, according to the sheriff’s office.
• A deputy was called about 4 p.m. yesterday to the 900 block of Shorey Road west of Chehalis where about $300 worth of tools including a Dewalt drill were stolen from a vehicle.
• Someone entered an unlocked vehicle and took a small amount of change and cigarettes at the 1100 block of Creekside Court in Centralia, according to a report made to police yesterday.
EMPLOYEE THEFT
• An officer was called to a business on the 1600 block of Louisiana Avenue about 2 p.m. yesterday regarding suspected theft by an employee involving falsified transactions of more than $2,500, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The case was referred to prosecutors to consider a charge of second-degree theft, according to the Chehalis Police Department.
PHONE THEFTS
• Centralia police responded about 7:30 a.m. today to the ATT store on the 1200 block of Lum Road to a report two males had smashed a window and stole several several cell phones on display. The case is still under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• Yesterday afternoon, an officer took a report of two cell phones stolen from a business on the 1100 block of Johnson Road in Centralia.
OTHER THEFT
• Chehalis police were contacted yesterday morning about a steam cleaner stolen from inside a gated area on the 500 block of West Main Street.
• Someone stole a portable propane tank from the 400 block of Centralia College Boulevard sometime between 6:30 a.m. yesterday and about 2 p.m., according to the Centralia Police Department.
ARREST FOR GIVING FALSE NAME
• A 23-year-old Centralia man was jailed following a stop for a traffic violation yesterday afternoon on Mellen Street when an officer concluded the documents he identified himself with were falsified, according to police. Centralia police say Ricardo Perez-Ramirez had a suspended license and an outstanding warrant. The photo was of him, but he said the name on the documents belonged to his uncle in Mexico, Sgt. Stacy Denham said. Perez-Ramirez was booked into the Lewis County Jail for identity theft, according to the Centralia Police Department.
DOMESTIC INCIDENT
• A 23-year-old Chehalis resident was arrested for misdemeanor assault after a woman called 911 last night to report her son pushed her against the wall, trying to “get the demons out of her,” according to police. An officer subsequently contacted Drake A. Lorber and booked him into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.
AND MORE
• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving with suspended license, violation of anti-harassment or protection orders, underage drinking; responses for alarms, suspicious vehicle, misdemeanor theft, minor injury collision, prescription medication that could be stolen or just misplaced, possibly stolen computer equipment, a homeless person camping out with a sleeping bag and suitcases, female either passed out or sleeping in a parking lot … and more.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
So….did he have clothes on when he appeared in court? I mean, it is Lewis County~
Oh, and Duh!!……..wow, you had that coming.
There is no snow in August. This mentally disturbed person should have been apprehended at that time, possibly for his own protection.
How do you figure Barney Fif’e’s were on duty Pre Clinton. They chose to terminate the pursuit before it got to White Pass, high speeds, one lane roads and snwo. That showed good judgment. Once the police stop chasing, the drivers generally slow down when they see the police are no longer behind them. If anyone is a bonehead it would the 300 pound nude dude. If his door was locked when he got home where does he keep his keys? Yuck!
Was he wearing clothes in his driver license photo? Is that how they identified him by viewing his male parts? ha ha
Wow seeing all these thefts… we need to make the pay for crimes increased. instead of bailing out on a theft charge you should be given a mandatory year in prison with no chance of bail until after your final court date
Okay, let’s try this again for Duh’s sake. Now read slowly…I’ll even transcribe part of it in ALL CAPS for you:
“The 40-year-old Yakima resident, whose information lists him at 6-feet 5-inches tall and 300 pounds, was identified by the deputy through his vehicle registration AND A PHOTO ON HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE.”
Does that help? Does anything?
Where did it say the Deputy saw is drivers license. All she has to do is check the registration, run his name and look at his pic in the hit. Love coming in here and seeing what moron’s like Guilty have to say. Always good for a chuckle…
Barney Fifes were on Duty
“The 40-year-old Yakima resident…was identified by the deputy through his vehicle registration and a photo on his driver’s license.”
Okay, so if this guy was totally nude, where was he keeping his driver’s license? On second thought, maybe I don’t want to know…