STRING OF CAR PROWLS
• Centralia police have been getting hammered with car prowls, according to Sgt. Carl Buster. Officers took eight reports of vehicle prowls between 6:30 a.m. yesterday and 6 o’clock this morning. Four occurred on Eureka Avenue, three happened on the 200 block of West Oakview Avenue and one on the 1900 block of Ahlers Avenue. Among the stolen goods were items like CD players, a checkbook, credit cards , loose change, a GPS unit and a winch. Some cars were simply rummaged through and nothing appeared to be missing. Buster strongly advises people to lock their cars and not to entice prowlers by leaving valuables inside, especially where they are visible. Most of the break-ins appeared to have occurred during the night.
• On Thursday morning, an officer was called to the 1500 block of View Avenue where a chain saw and tow straps were missing from a vehicle. And on Wednesday, police took a report of several items missing from a vehicle on the 600 block of F Street.
VEHICLES CATCH FIRE AFTER COLLISION IN WINLOCK
• Two vehicles heading in opposite directions crashed and burned on state Route 505 in Winlock last night. Both were totaled and neither driver was seriously hurt, according to the Washington State Patrol. A trooper was called just before midnight to the scene near Harkins Road about one mile east of town. A 1981 Chevrolet pickup was southbound when its Centralia driver lost control, his truck rotated and it was struck on its right side by a northbound Mazda Protege, according to the state patrol. The occupants exited the vehicles before they caught fire, the state patrol reported. Travis M. Thompson, 26, of Winlock, sustained an injury to his left knee and hand but declined to go to the hospital, the investigating trooper reported. Troy A. Criscola, 19, of Centralia, was to be cited for going too fast. He was reportedly uninjured.
MOM AND BABY OK AFTER ROLLOVER CRASH
• A 25-year-old woman and a 9-week-old baby were left uninjured after a vehicle rolled outside Centralia overnight coming to rest on its top, according to responders. Riverside Fire Authority was called just after midnight to the wreck on Centralia-Alpha Road near Widgeon Hill Road. Both the driver and infant had been securely buckled in and even though the mini van was upside down, she had gotten herself out and gone to a nearby home for help, according to Fire Capt. Ken Colombo. “It was icy up there,” Colombo said. Medics checked them out and neither needed to be taken to the hospital, he said.
SINGLE-VEHICLE WRECK
• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported on Thursday a 1995 Honda Civic was totaled the day before when a 19-year-old driver lost traction on gravel laid down on the road for ice and traveled down a steep embankment. it happened about 1 p.m. on Wednesday on the 1800 block of South Schueber Road.
ANOTHER HONDA STOLEN IN CENTRALIA
• A blue 1991 Honda Honda Accord was reported missing about 5:30 a.m. on Thursday from the 2800 block of Russell Road in Centralia, according to police.
THEFT
• Centralia police took a report yesterday from an individual on the 200 block of Aurora Street about fraudulent activity on the victim’s credit card occurring in Texas.
• Centralia police were called about the theft of money from a hamburger stand Thursday morning on the 2300 block of North Pearl Street.
DRUGS
• A 39-year-old Centralia man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine after contact with an officer on M Street about 3:40 a.m. today. Shawn E. Owre was booked into the Lewis County jail. The case of a 42-year-old woman with him will be referred for possible charges of possession of meth, according to Centralia police.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter