Lewis County Sirens.com

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Updated at 6:57 p.m.

BRANCH CATCHES TRIGGER, VICTIM LOSES FINGER

• A 22-year-old Centralia man ended up losing about two-thirds of his right index finger from an accidental gunshot on his family’s Centralia property yesterday. It happened about 4:45 p.m. at the 1600 block of Military Road and a deputy contacted the victim last night at Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The man said he was walking near a pond, carrying a 308 rifle in case he spotted a coyote, according to the sheriff’s office. He said at one point he leaned the gun against a tree and when he went to retrieve it, his right hand was near the barrel and it appears a branch or something similar engaged the trigger, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

MAN PUNCHES GIRLFRIEND

• The sheriff’s office is looking for a 37-year-old Winlock man after taking a report last night he allegedly committed second-degree assault and felony harassment. A 41-year-old woman said it occurred about 3 o’clock yesterday morning, when during an argument at the 100 block of Mines Road, her boyfriend punched her in the face numerous times, came after her with a screwdriver and then pinned her face down to the bed and said he would kill her, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. She was able to get away, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

HOUSEGUEST SLAMS HOST INTO SHELF

• A 23-year-old man was arrested yesterday and charged today with second-degree assault for an incident two weeks ago in which he allegedly grabbed a woman by the back of the head and shoved her into a bookshelf, causing gashes on her forehead and eyelid that required stitches. Centralia police called the evening of Dec. 13 to the woman’s apartment at the 1400 block of Johnson Road learned he had been staying with her and when she woke him up for dinner, he got upset, saying she was talking to him like she was his mother, according to charging documents. She asked him to leave and that’s when he assaulted her, according to the documents. Officers found Anthony P. Johnson yesterday at the Hub City Mission in Centralia and he told them the woman hit him in the back of the head first, according to authorities. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail. His bail was set today at $25,000.

DAD SLAPS 2-YEAR-OLD A ‘LITTLE TOO HARD’

• A Winlock father who allegedly slapped his upset toddler in the face so hard finger marks were still visible the following day was summonsed to appear before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court today. Joseph P. Durham, 22, of Winlock, is charged with second-degree assault of a child. Prosecutors write in charging documents the injury was reported on Sept. 9. Durham reportedly told a deputy it happened at night, when the two and a half year-old boy was “throwing a fit” because he wanted some water and the father wouldn’t give him any because the boy had been wetting the bed, according to court documents. The injuries were still clearly visible two days later when additional photographs were taken, according to prosecutors. A judge this afternoon allowed Durham to remain free pending trial on a $25,000 unsecured bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 5.

CAR PROWL

• A deputy was contacted by a 42-year-old Yakima woman who reported someone broke into her vehicle while it was parked at the White Pass Ski Resort on Christmas Day. She thought it had been locked but no forced entry was found, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Among the nearly $1,800 worth of items stolen were ski and snowboard equipment and clothing, according to the sheriff’s office.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Traffic on U.S. Highway 12 five miles west of Oakville was reduced to a single lane this afternoon when a pickup truck wrecked near Cedar Creek. Troopers called at 3:10 p.m. noted the Ford 250 pickup was traveling westbound when it crossed the oncoming lane and left the roadway about 50 feet striking several trees. The driver, Ronnie L. Johanson, 61, from Malone, was injured and transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol. The vehicle was totaled, according to the state patrol. The accident is under investigation.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, harassment, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, misdemeanor assault, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances, violation of no-contact order … and more among 135 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

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Updated at 12:41 p.m.

DOMESTIC INCIDENTS

• A 49-year-old man who allegedly grabbed his roommate by the throat from behind and pulled her to the ground was arrested on Sunday night for second-degree assault. A deputy responding to the 400 block of 10th Street in Vader about 8:20 p.m. booked James M. Shank into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors declined to file the felony charge and are moving the case to Lewis County District Court.

• A 25-year-old Longview man who allegedly broke the back window of his girlfriend’s vehicle at the 3600 block of Cooks Hill Road in Centralia on Friday afternoon during a dispute was subsequently located and arrested for third-degree malicious mischief, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Christopher K. Brotherton was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A 23-year-old Curtis resident was arrested yesterday for second-degree malicious mischief for a Friday morning incident at the 2200 block of Wildwood Road in Curtis in which she allegedly damaged her father’s antique desk, a wall and the floor. Lara N. McComb was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• Centralia police were called to the 100 block of West High Street about 7:15 p.m. yesterday where the business reported two males stole over $1,000 worth of merchandise and then fled the store.  The case is currently under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• An individual called Centralia police just after 7 p.m. yesterday to report a residential burglary at the 700 block of Euclid Way. Sometime during the previous 24 hours, someone broke in and stole clothing and speakers, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called to the 2900 block of Mount Vista Road just before 6 p.m. yesterday to take a report someone had damaged a vending machine by prying open the money ports, according to the Centralia Police Department. It’s not yet known if anything was taken, according to police.

• An individual called Chehalis police about 12:30 a.m. today to report that previously someone had placed his truck on blocks – on Southwest Seventh Street – and stole the rear tires and then returned to try to take the front tires, but he had put locking lug nuts on them, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• An officer was called about 3:45 a.m. on Saturday by a resident on the 1000 block of South Market Boulevard in Chehalis who said she heard a noise and when she checked, saw a male on her front porch take her wind chime, put it in a backpack and leave on a bicycle.

• Officers responded to the 100 block of Engle Drive in Morton about 10:45 p.m. on Thursday to a possible vehicle theft.  A 1998 Ford Contour was reported to possibly be stolen by two individuals that had been staying at the residence, according to the Morton Police Department. The case is still under investigation, according to police.

CAR PROWL

• Police were called about 11:35 p.m. yesterday to the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue in Chehalis when an employee discovered someone had rummaged through the glove box and trunk of her car and stole six packs of cigarettes, the vehicle owner’s manual and some “owl” cards, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• A deputy was called to the 100 block of Armstrong Road outside Chehalis yesterday following the discovery of a vehicle prowl in which someone stole a jacket with a Smith and Wesson handgun in its pocket, $520 cash and a stocking cap, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It happened sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

• Centralia police were called regarding a vehicle prowl about 4:25 p.m. on Friday at the 800 block of Harrison Avenue. A backpack was taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Someone broke the window of a vehicle parked at the 700 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia and stole a gift, according to a report made to police just before 2 p.m. on Friday.

DRUGS

• A deputy responding to a dispute about 11:45 p.m. yesterday subsequently contacted one of the parties who had left and arrested him for possession of cocaine. Rafael Martinez-Ledesma was located driving along Little Hanaford Road outside Centralia and smelled of alcohol, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A search incident to that arrest turned up two bindles of a white powder that field tested positive for the drug, according to the sheriff’s office. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail and a case of driving under the influence will be referred to prosecutors, according to the sheriff’s office.

TRESPASSING

• Centralia police arrested a 31-year-old man inside a vacant house at Centralia College Boulevard and Washington Avenue about 11:45 p.m. on Christmas Eve after discovering he had broken in, according to the Centralia Police Department. Steven D. Couch, of Chehalis, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree criminal trespass, according to police.

• An officer was called about 4:40 a.m. on Saturday by a woman at the 10 block of Southwest Cascade Avenue in Chehalis who said she found someone left candy by the pillow on her bed, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

OTHER CRIMES

• A man called Chehalis police about 10:30 p.m. yesterday to report that when his vehicle’s door was shut at a parking lot, the rear window shattered. It was the second time he was similarly victimized, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 34-year-old Onalaska resident who was allegedly driving under the influence when he ran his vehicle into a ditch near the intersection of Middle Fork and Tauscher roads was arrested about 7 p.m. on Saturday. Dustin L. Nichols was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A police vehicle slipped on black ice and struck a utility pole on Mellen Street in Centralia about 6 o’clock on Saturday morning, according to the Centralia Police Department. The officer was not injured and an outside agency was asked to conduct the investigation, according to police.

• An individual called 911 just before 7 p.m. on Friday to say someone threw something off the West Street overpass which struck the caller’s car as it was traveling north on Interstate 5. They said they did not need contact, according to the Chehalis Police Department. A responding officer was unable to locate a suspect, according to police.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, violation of no-contact order; responses for alarm, dispute, shoplifting, civil issue, hit and run, vandalism, vehicle collision, third-degree theft, suspicious circumstances … and more