CHEATING DEATH ON INTERSTATE 5
• Chehalis firefighters recommended a 34-year-old motorcyclist buy some lottery tickets today after a wreck on Interstate 5 in which the man was tossed over the center barrier into the oncoming lanes and survived. Aid and troopers were called about 5:45 p.m. yesterday to the area near the West Street overpass after Juan Santana Alvarez, of Auburn, lost control of his Suzuki and was ejected. He said he was northbound on a curve when the wind pushed him into the inside jersey barrier and he traveled along it briefly, according to responders. Alvarez was thrown over the divider into the southbound lanes but jumped back over and came to rest on the inside shoulder of the northbound lanes, according to the Washington State Patrol. A trooper described him with a broken leg and internal injuries. Chehalis Fire Capt. Rob Gebhart said he was conscious, talking and fairly upbeat, for having nearly just been run over by semi-trucks. He was wearing a leather jacket and a helmet, but it seemed like the motorcycle might have been new to him, Gebhart said. Alvarez was taken by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital. His condition this morning was unavailable. The 19997 Suzuki VZ800V was totaled; it landed in the northbound lanes, the patrol reported. “He definitely cheated death last night,” Gebhart said. “He was in pretty good shape for what happened.”
THREE ARRESTED FOLLOWING CENTRALIA FIGHT
• Centralia police are investigating a fight and felony assault from yesterday on the 1100 block of South Tower Avenue. Few details were released, but police report they arrested three Centralia men after the 5:30 p.m. call, two for instigating a fight and one on a warrant. Nicholas E. George, 22, was booked into the Lewis County Jail on an unspecified warrant. Tomas L. Delong, 19, and Kevin J. Delong, 20, were arrested for disorderly conduct for starting it, according to the Centralia Police Department. They were not jailed.
DRUGS
• Two Centralia men were jailed yesterday morning for possession of methamphetamine after they were caught vandalizing property with graffiti at the skate park on the 700 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia, according to police. Tristan L. House, 21, and Justin T. Booth, 19, were booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• A 31-year-old Centralia man was arrested early Saturday morning for possession of methamphetamine after contact with an officer on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue. Jonathan R. Young was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• A 36-year-old Toledo resident was booked into the Lewis County jail early Saturday for possession of methamphetamine and a felony warrant. Brian K. Roe was arrested after contact with an officer about 12:25 a.m. at the 400 block of North Oak Street in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• Centralia police were called yesterday afternoon to a motel on the 1300 block of Belmont Street after a customer checked out and left drugs behind, according to the Centralia Police Department.
THEFTS BY TEENS
• Police called Friday afternoon to the 600 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia concluded a male juvenile had stolen a tip jar on the window of an espresso stand. The amount taken was not reported. Police referred the case involving the unnamed teenager for a possible charge of second-degree theft.
• Centralia police arrested a juvenile male Friday afternoon for four counts of second-degree theft for allegedly stealing a relative’s credit card and using it to purchase video games on the internet. The unnamed teenager was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center, according to police.
CAR PROWLS
• Centralia police took a report about 11 a.m. yesterday of a vehicle prowl on the 300 block of South Diamond Street. The vehicle’s registration was the only item stolen, according to police.
• An 18-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for vehicle prowl about 2 a.m. on Saturday at the 200 block of South Diamond Street. Nathaniel D. Cline was arrested and then released, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• A wallet containing a credit card was taken in a car prowl reported to police on Friday morning on the 700 block of M Street in Centralia.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter