Lewis County Sirens.com

Scott E. Ridgley, left, is represented by defense attorney Kevin Nelson during a bail hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – After twice sending a police informant to buy drugs from an Onalaska man, local drug detectives served search warrants at his home, arresting him and four others and seizing methamphetamine, heroin, psilocybin mushrooms, more than a pound of marijuana and at least $6,900 cash.

Scott E. Ridgley, 56, was charged yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court with multiple felonies, including unlawful use of a building for drug purposes.

It was just over a year ago members of the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted a similar operation with similar results at Ridgley’s property on the 500 block of Gish Road, although that day they confiscated about $20,000, according to authorities. He was out on bail pending trial in that case.

On Tuesday, JNET was accompanied by at least one member of the U.S. Marshals Service and arrested Ridgley along with his 39-year-old son Larry E. Ridgley who was wanted on a felony drug warrant.

Also arrested was a roommate Stephen D. Cobb, 45, who was charged yesterday with possession of meth and heroin.

Not booked into jail but referred for charges were David E. McAbee, 29, of Onalaska, possession of meth and Tracy A. Dona, 43, Onalaska, possession of meth and destruction of evidence, according to a press release from JNET forwarded by the Centralia Police Department.

Judge Andrew Toynbee set Scott Ridgley’s bail at $50,000 yesterday afternoon.

Charging documents state a confidential informant contacted one of the detectives between March 1 and Tuesday about being able to purchase meth from the senior Ridgley, and did so twice during the same period.

Once at the property, detectives found a black case near Scott Ridgley in a shop building, containing about two and a half ounces of methamphetamine, a digital scale and the cash, according to charging documents.

They found pipes with residue, a rifle with a missing stock and a 22 caliber pistol, the documents relate.

Scott Ridgley was charged with two counts of delivery of meth, one count of possession of meth with intent to deliver, possession of meth, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a building for drug purposes.

He has prior convictions from 2012 for delivery of a controlled substance.
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For background, read “Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup – LOTS OF DRUGS” from Tuesday May 3, 2016, here

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer says a dog deemed dangerous by the county and impounded to the animal shelter which ought to have been euthanized was instead adopted out to a family who weren’t told of its background.

“His name was changed, the true nature of the dog was hidden and he was adopted out,” Meyer said. “There was a feeling it wasn’t really dangerous.”

The prosecutor was summarizing the sequence of events to the Lewis County Board of Commissioners earlier this week and advised he planned to ask an outside prosecutor to look into the actions of two county employees. He did not name the employees.

He noted there is no provision under the law to declassify a dangerous dog.

Meyer said he asked the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office to investigate. That took place last week, according to sheriff’s Chief Deputy Dusty Breen.

The canine was brought to the shelter last July 1 after it and another dog were accused of killing a goat, according to Meyer.

It’s name was Tank and then changed to Hank, and he thought it may have been a pit bull but didn’t know for sure. The dog was adopted out in January. The new owner had given the animal to her grown son and 9-year-old grandson, and they had it for a significant amount of time, Meyer said.

The new owner wanted to keep the dog or be paid for their investment in a fence and the cost of a child’s broken heart, he said. He said they submitted a bill for $3,000.

“They were told they could not keep it and voluntarily relinquished it to the county,” Meyer said.

The meeting on Tuesday was attended by Lewis County Animal Shelter Manager Amy Hanson, her boss Director of Public Health and Social Services Danette York and other personnel with the prosecutor’s office.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg, who is among the county’s civil lawyers who advise county departments, told commissioners he was aware of the situation and was asked in September by the humane officer, the health department and the shelter what the options were for the dog under county code.

He began working on researching the law, he said, but went on family leave, returned to work and went on leave again, he said.

“I didn’t check back with the health department until recently,” Eisenberg said.

The county’s dangerous dog rules are imposed through a process that begins with an incident report from the sheriff’s office, which is forwarded to the county humane officer at Public Health and Social Services. If it’s determined the animal meets the criteria, the owner is served with a declaration their dog is dangerous and given a date for a hearing, which York oversees.

The only way for an owner to be allowed to keep a dangerous dog is to meet costly criteria such as a secure enclosure and extra insurance, Lewis County Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Carter said.

Meyer reiterated there is no provision declassify this dog and advised commissioners if it bit someone, the county could likely be liable.

At the same time, he hinted there was reason to think this particular dog was wrongly labeled and fell through the cracks.

“In the future, I would hope there would be a more careful analysis of the facts and the dog, before it’s declared dangerous,” he said.