Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 20-year-old Centralia resident was ordered held on $250,000 bail for a nighttime incident a week ago in which he allegedly took off with an acquaintance’s wallet containing $300.

The victim told police that just about the time he apprehended the 20-year-old in the parking lot of a bank, a white male who got out of a green Dodge Durango pepper sprayed him in the face and hit him at least once with a handgun.

Miguel V. Martinez, 20, was charged yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court with first-degree robbery and then also possession of meth and heroin based on what police turned up when he was arrested on Saturday at the Motel 6 in Centralia.

According to the victim, it all began when Martinez called him wanting a ride to Rochester and the two met up at the parking lot of Safeway on Harrison Avenue in Centralia about 11 p.m. on Nov. 28.

The victim told police they sat in the parking lot  talking for some period of time. Charging documents go on to give the victim’s account of events:

At some point, he went inside Safeway to get a drink and when he returned to his car, he set his wallet on the center console. At some point, Martinez allegedly grabbed the wallet, got out of the car and ran off.

The victim, Ryan Olson, grabbed some pepper spray, chased Martinez and tried unsuccessfully to spray him. Olson said he caught Martinez in the Columbia Bank parking lot and they were about to start walking back to the car when a Dodge Durango pulled up.

A white male gets out, approaches them and lifts the front of his shirt exposing what looks to be the handle of a handgun, and says, “Let him go, I have a gun.”

Olson refuses because Martinez still has his wallet and a struggle ensues between the three men.

The victim, Olson, said the unidentified white male hits him with the gun, takes his pepper spray and sprays him.

Martinez and the white male leave in the Durango, which is being driven by a female.

Centralia police responding to the approximately 2:15 a.m. call to Safeway’s gas station on Belmont Avenue find the victim in extreme discomfort and end up interviewing him at the hospital where he was transported for treatment.

Charging documents filed yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court indicate detectives are in the process of identifying the male and female who were involved.

When Martinez was brought before a jude yesterday afternoon, temporary defense attorney Joely O’Rourke attempted to get a lower amount for his bail.

“I’m very familiar with Mr. Martinez and his family who are in court today,” O’Rourke told the judge. “His family assures me they will keep him home and make sure he gets to court.”

Judge James Lawler went with Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Joel DeFazio’s recommendation of $250,000 bail instead.

Martinez’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
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For background, read “Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup – ARREST MADE IN PEPPER SPRAY ATTACK” from Monday December 5, 2016, here

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 6th, 2016 at 5:20 pm and is filed under Top story of the day. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.