News brief: Coroner has no cause of death for woman found in river

October 25th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Coroner’s Office has positively identified the victim recovered from the Skookumchuck River in Centralia on Sunday as Kimberly A. Gotcher, 28, of Centralia.

Her next-of-kin have been located and notified, Coroner Warren McLeod said this afternoon in a press release.

Determinations about the cause and manner of her death won’t be finalized until after results of toxicology tests come back, according to McLeod.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said previously that deputies responded about 12:38 p.m. on Sunday to the river near Schaefer Park just northeast of Centralia and pulled the woman’s body from the water. There were no obvious signs of what caused her death, according to Breen.

Breen described her as a homeless person who had a campsite under a bridge nearby.

The sheriff’s office would not share information about who phoned 911 that day and why.
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For background, read “Woman found dead in Skookumchuck River” from Monday October 22, 2018, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

October 25th, 2018
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BURGLARY

• Centralia police were called to the 700 block of North Tower Avenue about 4:15 p.m. yesterday when an individual reported that sometime during the night someone entered their shed and stole a brief case.

STOLEN VEHICLE

• A front-end loader that disappeared from the 1700 block of Industrial Drive in Centralia early last month turned up yesterday in the Curtis area, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies following up on a tip went to where the machine was believed to have been hidden on some timberland near the 600 block of Wildwood Road and found their suspect’s vehicle parked there instead, according to the sheriff’s office. The piece of equipment, previously described as a 24,000 pound Komatsu, was later located in the same general area, according to sheriff’s Chief Deputy Dusty Breen. Its key was found on the suspect’s person, when he was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant, Breen said. James S. Erion, 39, of Curtis, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree possession of stolen property, according to the sherif’s office.

• When Chehalis police were called about 3:35 p.m. yesterday about a person trying to open the door of a vehicle in a parking lot at the 2500 block of Northeast Kresky Avenue, an officer found the person was gone but there was a dog inside the van, which had been reported stolen in Centralia. The dog was taken by animal control and later the canine’s 60-year-old owner was located, according to the Chehalis Police Department. It’s not clear what happened next as the written report was not completed this morning, a department spokesperson said.

BAD BILL

• Centralia police arrested a 62-year-old Chehalis resident about 1:30 p.m. yesterday for allegedly attempting to pass a counterfeit $100 bill in a case associated with the 1400 block of South Tower Avenue. The case is being referred to prosecutors for charging, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• A Chehalis police officer reportedly observed juveniles consuming green vegetable material at the 200 block of Southwest 13th Street at about noon yesterday. A case for a 17-year-old girl was referred to prosecutors for possession of marijuana, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• A 30-year-old Rochester woman was arrested about 10:10 a.m. yesterday at the 1800 block of Cooks Hill Road for possession of heroin. Ashley N. Looper was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Nobody was injured but a passenger vehicle went up in smoke late yesterday afternoon along southbound Interstate 5 just north of milepost 79 in Chehalis. Firefighters called at 5:23 p.m. found fire in the engine compartment and flames spreading to the passenger area, according to Riverside Fire Authority. They extinguished the blaze, according to the fire department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, misdemeanor theft, vehicle collision, sexual misconduct, suspicious circumstances, disorderly person … 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.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

October 24th, 2018
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Updated at 3 p.m.

MEAT CLEAVER THREAT

• A 26-year-old man at an adult family home in Winlock was arrested after allegedly threatening a caretaker with a meat cleaver-type knife yesterday. Deputies were called just before 1 p.m. to the 1700 block of Winlock-Vader Road by the 42-year-old woman who had secured herself in the bathroom, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Upon deputies arrival, the man was still armed with the knife and was given several verbal commands to drop it, which he ultimately did, according to the sheriff’s office. Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said Trayvon Jones had been upset following a conversation about getting some potato chips from the store and being told he needed to wait. He allegedly made chopping motions at the counter while staring down the caretaker and began to advance on her with the knife raised when she removed herself to the bathroom and called 911, according to Breen. Jones, a Winlock resident, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree assault, Breen said.

GUN-POINTING DRAWS POLICE TO CHEHALIS HOME

• A 29-year-old Chehalis man was arrested yesterday after he allegedly pointed a firearm at his roommate during an argument at the 10 block of Southeast 16th Street yesterday. Officers called just after 4 p.m. found Stephen J. Kennedy was cooperative and the handgun was not loaded, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Kennedy was booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree assault, according to police.

HOSPITAL ASSAULT

• A Centralia resident was arrested last night after allegedly punching two staff members in the emergency room at Providence Centralia Hospital. Sloan D. Schoffstall, 36, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for third-degree assault, following the approximately 8:30 p.m. call, according to the Centralia Police Department.

TEEN WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT IMAGES ON PHONE IS ARRESTED

• A Centralia High School student was arrested at school today after an investigation that allegedly revealed sexually explicit photos and videos of teenage girls on his cell phone, four of whom have been positively identified, according to the Centralia Police Department. Dylan M. Tryon, 18, of Centralia, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to police. The victim’s ages range from 15 to 17 years old and the identities of remaining victims are still to be determined, according to police. Detective John Panco said the arrest followed a four-month long investigation by Centralia police detectives and the Centralia school resource officer.

AUTO THEFT

• A green Honda was stolen from the parking lot of a motel at the 1000 block of Eckerson Road in Centralia by an unknown person, according to a report made to police about 7:10 a.m. today. Police are investigating, according to the Centralia Police Department.

PEEING IN PUBLIC

• A 61-year-old Centralia man for arrested for lewd conduct after allegedly exposing himself while urinating in public at North Tower Avenue and First Street in Centralia yesterday. Officers contacted about 11:35 a.m. issued  Jerry T. Oechsner a citation and then released him, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, trespassing, fourth-degree domestic assault; responses for alarm, dispute, harassment, civil issue, suspicious circumstances … 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.

Explosive left inside public bathroom at Chehalis park

October 24th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An apparent explosive device was removed from a public restroom at Stan Hedwall Park in Chehalis this morning by the Washington State Patrol Bomb Squad.

Police were called about 6:30 a.m. after a man staying at the campground in the park discovered the item in the men’s bathroom, according to the Chehalis Police Department. He described it as long with a fuse, according to police.

Officers arriving to the park on the 1500 block of Rice Road located the device in a bathroom stall. They evacuated the surrounding area as a precaution and requested assistance from the bomb squad, according to police.

At about 8:40 a.m., the state patrol arrived and the object was removed. It was “vented” to make it inoperable, police department spokesperson Linda Bailey said.

The device appears to have been wrapped in blue masking tape, resembles a large firework about five inches long and one inch in diameter with a hobby fuse, according to Bailey.

No other devices were located in the area. The park was re-opened about 9:40 am.

The item was taken into evidence at the  Chehalis Police Department and will be sent to the Washington State crime lab for fingerprinting, according to police.

Anyone with information about this incident or who may have left the device is encouraged to call the Chehalis Police Department at 360-748-8605.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

October 23rd, 2018
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WANTED PERSON TRACKED BY K-9

• A police dog was summoned and nearby schools alerted after a 34-year-old man fled his residence on the 100 block of Jalyn Street as police arrived about 10:20 a.m. yesterday. The K-9 tracked to an area near an apartment complex on Mount Vista Road and  Joshua D. Johnson was subsequently located inside an apartment, according to the Centralia Police Department. Johnson was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Lewis County Jail for an outstanding warrant and possession of methamphetamine, according to police.

CAR PROWL

• Chehalis police called to the 500 block of Northwest St. Helens Avenue just before 5 p.m. yesterday learned that during the night, someone had prowled three locked vehicles. Door handles were broken on two of them and stolen were a Pioneer stereo and subwoofer, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Centralia police were called to the 1400 block of Johnson Road about 11:50 a.m. yesterday when a witness reported seeing a man open the door of a vehicle and remove something, before leaving in another vehicle. A wallet was stolen from the victim’s vehicle, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were contacted about 11:45 a.m. yesterday regarding a vehicle prowl. Further details were not available.

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

• Officers were called to the 1400 block of Maple Valley Drive about 4:30 p.m. yesterday where a 32-year-old man had allegedly pushed a female and later stole her backpack from her parked vehicle. Police found the backpack a short distance away but were unable to locate their suspect, according to the Centralia Police Department. A summons has been sent to the suspect, a Centralia man, for fourth-degree domestic assault and third-degree theft, according to police.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, third-degree theft, reckless endangerment, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 144 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

October 22nd, 2018
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HOSPITAL VIOLENCE

• A 15-year-old girl allegedly bit a nurse while in the hospital in Centralia. Officers called about 1:15 p.m. on Sunday to the 900 block of South Scheuber Road booked the teen into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center for third-degree assault, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 19-year-old Centralia resident who allegedly assaulted a security person at the 900 block of South Scheuber Road then allegedly pushed a police officer as she was detained at about 9:30 p.m. on Friday. Paige M. Martin  was booked into the Lewis County Jail for third-degree assault, according to the Centralia Police Department.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• A hood ornament was stolen off a Cadillac while it was parked near a business on Northwest Louisiana Avenue, according to a report made to Chehalis police about 3:20 p.m. on Sunday. The victim was unsure about which of two possible locations it happened at, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• A stolen vehicle was recovered at the 1400 block of Belmont Avenue in Centralia at about 5:35 p.m. on Saturday.

•  A large amount of high-end fishing equipment was stolen from a boat located within a fenced yard at the 3100 block of Ford Prairie Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 1:50 p.m. on Saturday.

• Centralia police called to the 1300 block of  Belmont Avenue just before 5 p.m. on Friday ended up arresting two juveniles for allegedly breaking into vehicles and stealing property worth more than $750. They were booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center for second-degree theft, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FRAUD

• Chehalis police were called just before 4 o’clock this morning to the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue after a male allegedly attempted to pass a counterfeit $100 bill. The shopper left as the money was being checked, and an arriving officer took the bill into evidence, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Centralia police were called about 4:45 p.m. on Sunday to the 1300 block of Lum Road where an employee told of realizing she had been duped by someone calling who purported to be from the business’s corporate office. The caller told her to refund money to a customer who had been to the store earlier, according to the Centralia Police Department. The employee refunded the money to a different credit card as directed by the caller, but feeling suspicious, checked with the corporate office and realized she’d been scammed, according to police.

• An individual at the 500 block of North Iron Street in Centralia called police about 4:25 p.m. on Sunday to report reported the theft of his wallet from his unlocked vehicle sometime during the early morning hours.

• Centralia police were called to the 600 block of South Gold Street about 11:35 a.m. on Friday to take a report of the theft of a pressure washer from a front porch. It occurred sometime during the previous 10 days, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• A 40-year-old Chehalis resident was arrested for possession of methamphetamine when a search incident to his arrest turned up a small pipe and the suspected drug on Sunday morning. Officers were called just before 9 a.m. to the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue where a customer who bought beer tried to return it while the front of his pants were unzipped, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Nathan J.J. Hayes  was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• Chehalis police called about 11:20 a.m. on Friday to the 900 block of Northwest Pennsylvania Avenue for a fight between a male and a female arrested a 27-year-old Chehalis woman for inhaling toxic fumes, according to the Chehalis Police Department. She was not booked into jail, but another individual officers contacted when responding had an outstanding warrant and was booked, according to police.

• A 19-year-old Chehalis resident was arrested after he was reportedly caught assisting in prowling a vehicle and found to be in possession of drugs, a scale and packaging material in a Friday afternoon case associated with the  the 1300 block of Lum Road in Centralia. Paul L. Hess was booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree theft and possession with intent to deliver, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police were called to the 800 block of Eshom Road about 12:30 p.m. on Friday to investigate a juvenile reportedly in possession of marijuana. The case was was referred to prosecutors, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Several windows on a house were smashed out at the 1100 block of K Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police just before 6 a.m. on Saturday.

• An individual at the 700 block of K Street in Centralia reported about 1:10 p.m. on Friday that an unknown person damaged their vehicle.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, obstructing, third-degree theft, driving under the influence, protection order violation, fourth-degree domestic assault; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances, misdemeanor theft … and more among 409 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Woman found dead in Skookumchuck River

October 22nd, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Authorities are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in the river yesterday near Schaefer Park just northeast of Centralia.

Deputies responded about 12:38 p.m. to the county park at state Route 507 and Big Hanaford Road for a suspicious circumstances call.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said deputies pulled her from the water. There were no obvious signs of what caused her death, according to Breen.

He described the woman as a 28-year-old transient of Centralia.  She had a campsite under a bridge near the river, he said.

Breen said he wouldn’t comment on questions of who found her in the river or who called 911 due to the active nature of the investigation.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday and will likely include toxicology tests, according to Breen.