Updated at 7:56 p.m.
FRAUD
• A second elderly Lewis County resident was tricked out of thousands of dollars this week by an impersonator over the telephone. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported yesterday an 83-year-old Winlock-area woman learned on Monday she had won a vehicle but she first needed to send a money order for $365. The following day, the scammer spoke to her again and asked for more money, prompting the woman to mail a personal check for $3,550, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. When the individual phoned and said they were on their way to deliver the car, but she should make sure nobody else was around when they came, the woman got suspicious, Brown said. The woman phoned the sheriff’s office and also closed her account, Brown said. Brown said she didn’t know if the personal check was paid out or not. It was on Tuesday when an 83-year-old Chehalis-area woman was talked into getting $2,000 in cash cards for someone who claimed to be her grandson. The sheriff’s office is asking the public to take some time to talk to or watch out for elderly parents and other loved ones to help educate them about the increasingly common scams.
• Centralia police took a report on Wednesday from the 200 block of West Oakview Avenue regarding the unauthorized use of an individual’s identifying information by an unknown person.
ONE OF TWO ARRESTED FOR ROBBERY
• A 21-year-old Centralia man was arrested yesterday morning for allegedly being one of two males who tried to rob a pedestrian on a downtown sidewalk on South Tower Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Joseph J. Bailey IV was ordered held on $25,000 bail today on a charge of second-degree attempted robbery. A man in his 20s told police he was walking home alone from the Hub Tavern when two males he didn’t know pushed him up against the wall of a business and told him to give them his wallet and phone, according to the allegations. A male who was in the area with three others chased the two men off, charging documents state. A warrant has been issued for the second suspect, according to Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer.
STAYING MUM GETS MAN ARRESTED
• A 47-year-old Centralia man was jailed overnight for not providing his name to police. The Centralia Police Department reports Anthony D. Bell was arrested for obstructing a public servant after contact with an officer about 1:50 a.m. at Walnut and Pearl streets.
ASSAULT
• Centralia police took a report on Wednesday regarding a fight between two girls at Centralia Middle School.
OTHER
• Centralia police reported yesterday they were investigating a report of inappropriate contact between an individual and their visitor at a nursing home on the 1500 block of Harrison Avenue.
DRUGS
• A 35-year-old Chehalis resident was arrested early yesterday morning for possession of methamphetamine after contact with an officer on the 700 block of South Gold Street in Centralia. Devin L. Edens was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
COLLISION
• One driver was ticketed for running a red light following a collision at the 200 block of South Pearl Street in Centralia that involved four vehicles, including one of them that rolled, according to the Centralia Police Department. Centralia police responding about 11:35 a.m. report they were unaware of any injuries. Riverside Fire Authority Chief Mike Kytta said one injured person was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital.
AND MORE
• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, protection order violation, shoplifting, misdemeanor assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, responses for disputes, misdemeanor theft … and more.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter