Motorist dies in head-on highway crash near Morton

January 24th, 2019
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Impounding the 2016 Nissan Versa / Courtesy photo by Washington State Patrol

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A Randle woman died at the scene when her car crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a garbage truck on U.S. Highway 12 near Morton yesterday.

Troopers called at 1:23 p.m. determined the Nissan Versa had been eastbound approaching milepost 99 and the Peterbilt refuse truck was headed westbound.

Audrey D. Reddington was 63 years old, according to the Washington State Patrol. She was wearing a seat belt, drugs or alcohol were not involved and her car was totaled, according to the state patrol.

The truck driver was injured. Terry L. Riley was transported to Morton General Hospital, according to the investigating trooper.

Husband calls 911 after fatally shooting wife in Onalaska

January 23rd, 2019

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 67-year-old man told deputies his wife “pushed him too far” and he shot her several times with a pistol in Onalaska.

Bruce E. Reed was booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree murder.

Law enforcement was called to the couple’s residence on the 200 block of Burchett Road at 9:20 p.m. yesterday for a shooting, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Reed told deputies the two had argued about remodeling and finances on their home, Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey stated in a press release this morning. He told deputies his wife had pushed him too far, according to Kimsey. Arriving deputies found her deceased outside the home, Kimsey said.

The sheriff’s office says it was Reed who called 911. The victim is a 67-year-old woman, whose identity will be confirmed and released by the Lewis County Coroner’s Office. The sheriff’s office investigation is ongoing.

Reed is tentatively scheduled to go before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court at 4 p.m. today.

Sheriff’s Office: Children witnessed father’s attempt to die in house fire

January 22nd, 2019

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 30-year-old man who allegedly tried to end his life by setting a house on fire exited when it got too hot and was arrested for arson in rural Chehalis this weekend.

Deputies responding to the structure fire on the 100 block of Rogers Road at 6:49 p.m. on Saturday said the man and his two children were inside when he lit cardboard boxes, but then he put the kids in a vehicle a distance away from the house, before going back inside.

“He returned back into the home for an additional 10 to 15 minutes before it became too hot,” a deputy wrote in the arrest report.

Ashlynd Simper, 30, from Napavine, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree arson, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Neither Simper, nor his 9-year-old son or 6-year-old daughter were injured, according to the sheriff’s office.

Firefighters from Winlock joined crews from Lewis County Fire District 6 on the fully-involved structure fire approximately 6:52 p.m.

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said he understood Simper was staying in a nearby shop building, with permission, and the house that burned was vacant. The house is owned by a 70-year-old Chehalis man.

The sheriff’s office believes the two children were with Simper in the house when he started the fire and witnessed what he did. “Simper told the deputies he lit the fire intentionally to end his own life,” the deputy wrote.

Charges for reckless endangerment were forwarded to prosecutors as well, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 21st, 2019
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Crews conduct a defensive attack on residence on the 100 block of Rarey Road in Winlock / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Fire District 15

HOUSE FIRES

• The cause of a fire that destroyed a double wide mobile home and its contents in Winlock early on Sunday morning is under investigation, according to Lewis County Fire District 15. Fire Lt. Patrick Jacobson said nobody was home at the time and nobody was injured. Crews called at 4:58 a.m. arrived within six minutes of dispatch to find the residence on the 100 block of Rarey Road heavily involved in flames, according to Jacobson. The blaze threatened a detached garage which they protected. The fire was under control by 6:20 a.m. and personnel remained on scene until 10 o’clock checking for and extinguishing hot spots, according to Jacobson. Approximately 18 firefighters responded, including from Lewis County Fire Districts 5, 6, and Cowlitz-Lewis Fire District 20.

• At approximately 6:52 p.m. on Saturday, firefighters with Lewis County Fire District 15 joined crews from Lewis County Fire District 6 on a fully-involved structure fire  in the 100 block of Rogers Road  outside of Chehalis. No injuries were reported, according to District 15 Fire Lt. Patrick Jacobson

VEHICLE THEFT

• A small utility trailer was reported stolen from the front yard of a residence on the 200 block of Tilley Avenue in Centralia by an unknown suspect on Sunday afternoon, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CREEPING INTO FOOD TRUCK

• Centralia police said it appeared someone had possibly slept during the night inside a food truck that was reported broken into about 11:15 a.m. on Sunday. Officers called to the 600 block of North Tower Avenue observed that someone had unscrewed a door and window from the truck and made entry, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FAKE PHONE CALLER

• Centralia police say they took a report of a scam in which unknown person have called called at least one resident and purported to be from the Social Security Administration and they needed payment or an arrest warrant would be issued to the recipient of the phone call. The federal agency would not telephone people and threaten to have them arrested, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• When Centralia police contacted two people at the 3200 block of Galvin Road at about 1:40 p.m. on Saturday who had outstanding warrants, one of them was allegedly found in possession of heroin. Kristen M. Karboski, 37, of Centralia, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department. Her companion, Lorrie L. Keen, 58, of Centralia, was cited and then released with a new court date to appear in Centralia Municipal Court, according to police.

ON THE ROAD

• A motorist called police about 6:50 p.m. on Friday to report that as she was traveling along Harrison Avenue near High Street in Centralia, a male threw a rock at her windshield.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, obstructing, hit and run, trespassing, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, fourth-degree domestic assault, third-degree domestic malicious mischief, interfering with reporting of domestic violence; responses for alarm, dispute, hit and run, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances, protection order violation and more among 379 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 18th, 2019
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FRAUD

• Chehalis police were contacted about 8:20 p.m. yesterday in regard to a possible fraud. The case is under investigation, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

THEFT

• Centralia police were called to the 2300 block of North Pearl Street just after 8 p.m. yesterday to take a report of the theft of propane tanks and lumber from a  business.

• Centralia police called about 11 p.m. yesterday to the 900 block of South Scheuber Road where a staff member said her cell phone had been stolen by a patient, located the phone in the patient’s car, according to the Centralia Police Department. Blake D. Hansen, 28, of Centralia, was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for an outstanding warrant and a case for third-degree theft is being referred for charges, according to police.

BAD BILL

• Chehalis police were called just before noon yesterday to a business at the 2100 block of North National Avenue where a counterfeit $50 bill had been passed.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, shoplifting, hit and run, civil issue, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances, misdemeanor assault and more among 169 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 17th, 2019
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•••

ASSAULT

• Centralia police called to the 1300 block of Belmont Avenue about 7:15 a.m. yesterday arrested a 61-year-old man who allegedly assaulted his significant other and prevented her from leaving a residence. Timothy R. Griffith was booked into the Lewis County Jail for unlawful imprisonment and fourth-degree domestic assault, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called to Green Hill School on the 300 block of Southwest 11th Street about 8:50 a.m. yesterday to take a report of an incident that occurred on Dec. 16 in which a 16-year-old student-inmate allegedly punched a staff member in the face. A case is being forwarded to prosecutors for a charge of custodial assault, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

DISTURBANCE

• A 33-year-old Centralia man who allegedly caused a disturbance at the 2400 block of West Reynolds Avenue in Centralia, which was reported about 12:15 p.m. yesterday, was arrested. Jason R. Ferris was booked into the Lewis County Jail for  interference with a health care facility, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VEHICLE THEFT

• A 2005 GMC Sierra reported missing about 7:50 a.m. yesterday from the 1800 block of South Market Boulevard in Chehalis turned up around 2:25 p.m. with a broken window at Southwest John Street and Pacific Avenue in Chehalis, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police were called just after 9 p.m. yesterday regarding hairdressing equipment stolen from an unlocked vehicle that was parked at a business on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue.

• Chehalis police were called just after 1 p.m. yesterday to the 1300 block of Northwest River Street where someone had broken windows out of two vehicles.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, drug violation, third-degree theft, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, hit and run, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances and more among 139 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 16th, 2019
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•••

CRIMES AGAINST PEOPLE

• Centralia police were called to the 1400 block of Maple Valley Drive at 4:36 p.m. yesterday regarding an assault. A person was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree assault, according to the Centralia Police Department. The jail log indicates Darren E. Ellis was booked at 6:20 p.m. yesterday.

• Gonzalo Murillo Ontiveros, 28 of Centralia was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for unlawful domestic imprisonment following a call about 10:10 p.m. yesterday to the 1200 block of West Main Street in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

PORCH PILFERING

• Chehalis police were called about 11:35 a.m. yesterday because a chainsaw had been stolen from a porch within the previous hour on the 1000 block of Southwest McFadden Avenue. Missing is an older Stihl chainsaw model MS260 with an 18-inch bar, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

BAD BILL

• Chehalis police were called to the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue about 2:15 p.m. yesterday because a 39-year-old Portland man tried to pay for fuel with a counterfeit $100 bill. The case is being forwarded to prosecutors for a charge of counterfeiting, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

FRAUD

• Chehalis police were called about 2:20 p.m. yesterday to take a report of fraud associated with a location on the 100 block of Southwest Third Street.

LEFT ALONE

• A 47-year-old Ethel man, Otis S. Dezern, was issued a citation for leaving a child alone in a vehicle after Chehalis police were called to the parking lot of a grocery store at the 1300 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue about 4 p.m. yesterday because a 3- to 4-year-old was observed alone inside a parked vehicle, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, third-degree theft, probation violation, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, fourth-degree domestic assault, third-degree domestic malicious mischief; responses for alarm, dispute, harassment, trespassing, civil issue, suspicious circumstances,  misdemeanor  theft, misdemeanor assault and more among 123 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.