Posts Tagged ‘news reporter’

Robber with black and white Scream-type mask hits Winlock store

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Multiple law enforcement officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Handi store in Winlock last night, but they suspect the thief got away in a car before they arrived.

Toledo Police Department Sgt. Sam Patrick said they arrived to the convenience store on Kerron Avenue following the approximately 10:30 p.m. call and brought a K-9 in to conduct a track.

“The dog got a pretty good scent, and then all the sudden it disappeared,” Patrick said.

The female clerk who was working alone was not injured, he said.

The robber walked inside, displayed a handgun, apparently demanded money from the till and she handed it over, he said.

The robber was wearing gloves and dark clothing and a disguise, consisting of a black and white mask which was a cross between a Scream mask and skeleton mask, Patrick said.

Four units with the Toledo department arrived, according to Patrick. They serve the city of Winlock.

They were assisted by officers with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol.

No suspect had been located as of this afternoon.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016
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•••

Updated at 5:41 p.m.

INTERRUPTED BURGLARY CHEHALIS

• Two Centralia residents who allegedly were interrupted as they stole five firearms from a rural Chehalis home were subsequently arrested yesterday morning and booked into the Lewis County Jail. Deputies called at 7:17 a.m. about the incident at the 400 block of Sterling Heights Road were told the intruders fled through a wooded area behind the home toward Coal Creek Road, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A call from a business about two suspicious males getting into a vehicle led law enforcement to stop the vehicle, where they found one of the firearms, according to the sheriff’s office. Kyle W. Wagar, 35, and Emmanuel Martinez, 24, were arrested for first-degree burglary and five counts of theft of a firearm, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. Centralia’s police dog Lobo arrived and helped recover three guns, Breen said. Bail was set this afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court at $25,000 for Martinez and $50,000 for Wagar. Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher told the judge Wagar is facing a possible third-strike with the case.

BURGLARY CENTRALIA

• Centralia police were called about 11:30 a.m. yesterday regarding a burglary to a business on the 1400 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia. Tires were stolen, according to the Centralia Police Department.

BURGLARY CHEHALIS

• Chehalis police were called just before 7 p.m. on Monday following the discovery of a burglary in a garage area on the 200 block of Northeast Terrace Road. Someone had cut a padlock and taken almost $1,400 worth of tools, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Among the missing items were a large concrete hammer drill, a 12-inch sliding Craftsman chop saw and an Echo weed-eater, according to police.

AUTO THEFT

• A white 1992 Honda Accord was reported stolen from the 1000 Block of North Washington Avenue in Centralia just before 5 o’clock this morning. The car has a cracked windshield and a “wing in the back,” according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called to the the 300 block of Southwest Third Street about 7:30 p.m. yesterday where a green 1995 Honda Accord which had been parked in a visitor’s spot had been stolen. An officer later came across the car parked at the Holiday Inn on Liberty Place in Chehalis, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Police were called yesterday afternoon when an individual called to report seeing her sister’s stolen car parked in Chehalis at the 300 block of Southwest Third Street. The purple 1993 Honda which had been taken from the 1400 block of Lewis Street in Centralia was recovered but was missing its battery, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• An officer was called to the 500 block of Yew Street in Centralia about 7:50 a.m. yesterday to take a report of a motorcycle being stolen. The missing bike is a teal green 2003 Suzuki 1200, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called about 9 p.m. on Monday to the 500 block of Northwest Rhode Island Place where a locked silver 1998 Acura had been stolen sometime within the previous half hour.

• Chehalis police were called about 11:20 a.m. on Monday to the 600 block of Southwest Chehalis Avenue where sometime during the night, someone stole a white 1997 Ford F250 pickup truck. It contained medication, a handicap placard and the keys had been left inside, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• Police were called just after noon yesterday about a vehicle prowl at the 1400 block of Lewis Street in Centralia. Tools were taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A GPS device was stolen from a vehicle parked at the 1200 block of Ham Hill Road in Centralia, according to a report made to police just before 10 o’clock yesterday morning.

• Police were called at about 7:35 a.m. yesterday regarding a vehicle prowled at the 1200 block of West Walnut Street in Centralia. Some change was taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Sometime between Monday and Tuesday, two vehicles were broken into along Whitney Boulevard outside Chehalis. A Pioneer stereo was removed from one and an iPhone along with other items stolen from another, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• Police were called about 11:30 p.m. on Monday to a car lot at the 200 block of South Market Boulevard in Chehalis where one of the vehicles for sale was found partly blocking the northbound lane, left unlocked and out of gear. Its CD player had been ripped out, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called about 11:30 a.m. on Sunday regarding  vehicle prowl at the 200 block of West Main Street. A CD player had been removed during the night from the truck which had been parked behind an apartment, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

FRAUD

• Centralia police were called about 1:20 p.m. yesterday to the 1300 block of South Gold Street regarding bank account fraud.

• A business on the 1200 block of Mellen Street in Centralia reported to police yesterday it had accepted two counterfeit $100 bills, according to the Centralia Police Department.

WANDERING WITH KNIFE

• Chehalis police called about 2:15 p.m. on Friday about an individual wandering around waving a knife and talking to himself around the 600 block of West Main Street ended up arrested a 21-year-old resident of Silver Creek for an outstanding warrant. Doug A. Lee was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

VEHICLE VERSUS PEDESTRIAN

• Chehalis police were called about 1:35 p.m. on Friday to a report that a customer had backed in to an employee at Home Depot on the 1700 block of of Northwest Louisiana Avenue. A police department spokesperson had no written information or details as of this morning.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor theft, driving under the influence; responses for dispute, runaway teen, third-degree theft, suspicious circumstances … and more among 183 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

Tuesday, September 6th, 2016
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•••

Updated at 5:38 p.m.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY

• Centralia police were called about 4:15 a.m. today for a burglary at a home on the 1300 block of Kulien Avenue. The victim is compiling a list of items stolen, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Sometime between noon and 1:50 p.m. yesterday, someone broke a window to a residence on the 200 block of Chehalis Valley Drive outside Chehalis and stole a Dell laptop computer from a table. A Homelight chainsaw with a 40-inch bar was also discovered missing from an adjacent shop, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A deputy took a report yesterday of a burglary to a shop building on the 400 block of Drews Prairie Road outside Toledo in which an estimated $1,100 worth of tools were stolen including such items as a chop saw, skill saw, cordless drill and sawzall, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said this morning they arrested Donny R. Elliott, 40, Chehalis, yesterday for residential burglary in connection with a break-in at the 100 block of Chandler Road reported back on Aug. 18 in which a safe, cash and diamond rings were among the items missing. As much as $20,000 was stolen, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A case is being referred to prosecutors for charges against a 41-year-old Pe Ell man suspected to have been involved as well, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. Some of the property has been recovered, Breen said.

SELLING OTHER PEOPLE’S STUFF

• Deputies arrested a 27-year-old Chehalis man this weekend for allegedly selling a travel trailer that belonged to somebody else, using forged documents. Back on Aug. 25, Matthew M. Morris allegedly sold the 13-foot 1976 Trillium trailer from the 100 block of Sheridan Street in Centralia, belonging to a Tacoma resident. He accepted $50 cash from an Olympia man for the trailer, which is valued at $2,500, according to the sheriff’s office. It has been recovered, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. Morris was already in jail on an unrelated matter, but was booked Sunday for second-degree theft and forgery, Breen said.

AUTO THEFT

• A stolen Honda Accord was recovered yesterday evening abandoned at the 1100 block of E Street in Centralia and returned to its owner. It had been taken from the 200 block of West Oakview Avenue around July 23, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 39-year-old man from Edmonds was arrested yesterday evening after a police officer in Morton “ran the plate” on the car he was driving on Second Street and discovered it was stolen out of Seattle about 2 a.m. the day before. The officer allegedly found in the Honda a plastic smoking device that contained a substance that field tested positive for meth as well as three bank cards in the driver’s pocket with other people’s names on them, according to charging documents. Anthony H. Laico said he borrowed the car from a friend but was also wanted on an outstanding warrant for escape from community custody from the state Department of Corrections. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail and charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine and escape from community custody.

CAR PROWL

• An officer was called about 1:10 p.m. yesterday for a vehicle prowl at the 1000 block of E Street in Centralia. A window had been broken out and “items” stolen, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called to the 1300 block of Logan Street about 11:50 p.m. yesterday where someone had stolen tools from a truck.

PHYSICAL ALTERCATION CHIPS TOOTH

• Chehalis police called about 10:45 p.m. on Saturday about a fight between two clients at American Behavioral Health Services on the 500 block of Southeast Washington Avenue ended up arresting a 26-year-old who allegedly punched the other guy in the face, causing him to get lightheaded and leaving him with a chipped tooth. Purcell D. Toston Jr., from Seattle, was booked into the Lewis County Jail and charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with third-degree assault.

MORE ‘PRUNO’ UNCOVERED INSIDE JAIL

• Two inmates were arrested on Saturday after a shakedown at the Lewis County Jail for second-degree introducing contraband. Jared A. Heminger, 21, Rochester, was allegedly found in possession of a hypodermic needle and Tristen J. Allender, 22, Olympia, was allegedly making “Pruno,” according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office today declined to file the felony charges.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor domestic assault, third-degree malicious mischief, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, vandalism, suspicious circumstances … 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.

Benefit, memorial set for Toledo man

Monday, September 5th, 2016
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Brian Marshall Jones
Sept. 23, 1968 – Aug. 12, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – It wasn’t even one of the more difficult hikes they’d done.

Brian Marshall Jones, his wife Brenda Cyrus and their 9-year-old granddaughter Athena were on their way out of a five-day trek on part of the Pacific Crest Trail when his 47 years on this earth came to an end.

They’d taken the East Crater Trail to Lake Sahalee Tyee in Skamania County, Cyrus said.

“It was very sudden, very unexpected,” she said.

Jones, a Toledo native who relocated to Battle Ground, had coronary disease, he wife said.

It happened on Aug. 12 and she recalls with warmth the “wonderful souls” on the trail who stayed with them until search and rescue could reach them.

A celebration of life is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Woodland Grange. The address is 404 Davidson Ave.

The information technology specialist is known to many as the bass player with the Winlock-based band, Two Minute Miracle.

The group is coordinating a memorial poker run on Sept. 24, which begins at 10 a.m. at The Club tavern in Winlock. All are welcome. The proceeds will assist Jones’ family.
•••

• See Brian Marshall Jones’ obituary here
• Find details for memorial poker run, here

Randle: Motorcycle passenger falls onto road, hit by another rider

Sunday, September 4th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Four people were injured when a passenger fell off the back of a motorcycle onto U.S. Highway 12 near Randle, amongst a group of motorcycles heading eastbound today.

Sebastian S. Miller, 25, from Tacoma, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Miller was struck by another Kawasaki, which was then hit from behind by a third one. The driver of the second motorcycle, Donald W. Braddock, 25, of Lakewood, was flown to St. Joseph Hospital in Tacoma, according to the state patrol.

Braddock’s passenger was transported to Morton General Hospital. The third motorcycle operator was hurt but not hospitalized, the investigating trooper reports.

Troopers called just before 1 p.m. to the scene near Peter’s Creek Road indicate all were wearing helmets.

Chehalis shooting: Firearm still missing, one round recovered from Dairy Bar

Friday, September 2nd, 2016
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Matthew W. Harader appears before a judge with his lawyer in Lewis County Superior Court.

Updated at 5:28 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Chehalis police yesterday arrested the wife of the man charged with shooting at a passing truck saying they believed that right after the early Sunday morning incident occurred, he gave her the firearm.

Hillary M. Harader, 23, was contacted at the courthouse, there yesterday afternoon for her husband’s hearing. She was booked into the Lewis County Jail for rendering criminal assistance and tampering with evidence, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

Deputy Chief Randy Kaut said this morning they believe she did something with the gun, but they haven’t yet recovered it.

Her husband Matthew W. Harader, age 27, of Centralia, is charged in Lewis County Superior Court with two counts of first-degree assault. At his arraignment yesterday afternoon, his bail was increased to $200,000.

Chehalis police recovered two .45 caliber casings at the scene and recovered one round which had lodged into the side of a building, according to authorities.

It happened at the Jackpot convenience store on the 600 block of West Main Street in Chehalis.

Nobody was injured and charging documents offer no explanation for what occurred.

Officers called about 3:20 a.m. on Sunday spoke to the clerk who said two men and a woman had been inside, although they arrived in separate vehicles, according to court documents. The clerk said she heard a “pop” and saw a male dressed in dark clothing running toward the street with his hand raised in front of him as though he held a gun, according to charging documents.

She said she heard a second “pop” and it appeared he was firing toward a large gray lifted pickup truck which was heading westbound on Main Street, the documents relate.

Charging documents continue on, offering the following account:

The two men from the lifted truck told police they stopped at the store to get Gatorade and as they drove west, one of the men made eye contact with them, began to yell, chased them and shot at them. They pulled behind the Dairy Bar across the street, which is where one bullet hit the building.

Arriving officers located the suspect truck, stopping it at the 400 block of North Market Boulevard, and arrested the passenger.

Matthew W. Harader refused to speak with officers but the driver when asked if he knew why they were being stopped, said “He’s crazy, who just starts shooting at people for no reason.”

The driver was not arrested.

The victims, Cole T. Rife and Tanner R. Bradford, told police they thought the man chasing them was the one wearing shorts, but a review of video images from Jackpot showed the one in shorts didn’t leave the side of the truck while he was pumping gas.

A 9mm pistol was found in the suspect truck as well as .45 caliber ammunition, according to Kaut.

Matthew W. Harader appeared in court Monday afternoon, with his employer and others present in his support. He is represented by Chehalis attorney Katherine Gulmert. He pleaded not guilty yesterday.

His juvenile record includes convictions for second-degree burglary and third-degree assault.

Hillary M. Harader bailed out of jail with a $2,000 bond but returned this afternoon to Lewis County Superior Court where she is charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance, a felony and with tampering with physical evidence, a gross misdemeanor.

Judge Nelson Hunt left her bail unchanged.
•••

For background read “Centralia resident booked for allegedly shooting at moving truck on Main Street” from Monday August 29, 2016, here

News brief: Some jurisdictions lift campfire restrictions

Friday, September 2nd, 2016

Updated at 1:50 p.m.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – While the ban on outdoor burning continues, those who live in unincorporated Lewis County may once again light up campfires beginning at 5 p.m. today.

“After careful review, of the current and extended weather forecast for the upcoming Labor Day Weekend, the Lewis County community development director and the fire marshal have determined that weather conditions within Lewis County have improved and will modify the burn restriction to allow recreational campfires in designated campgrounds and on private lands if built in the following manner,” Lewis County officials stated in a news release.

2015.0522.smorecampfire“The campfire shall be no greater than three-feet in diameter and have a ring constructed of metal, stone, or brick 8-inches above the surface with a 2-foot wide area cleared down to exposed soil surrounding the outside of the pit;

• The campfire shall have an area at least 10-feet around it cleared of all flammable material and at least 20-feet of clearance from overhead flammable materials or fuels;

• The campfire must be attended at all times by a responsible person at least 16-years old with the ability to extinguish the fire with a shovel and a 5-gallon bucket of water or with a connected and charged water hose;

• Completely extinguish campfires by pouring water or moist soil in them and stirring with a shovel until all parts are cool to the touch. The use of self-contained camp stoves is encouraged as an alternative.”

In other words, be cautious.

The Lewis County fire marshal, in coordination with the chiefs of local fire districts strongly urge all county residents and visitors to be attentive to the conditions of their properties through proactive fire prevention measures, Lewis County Community Development Director Lee Napier stated.

The cities of Centralia and Chehalis today issued similar statements, saying recreational fires and outdoor cooking are okay now, in approved fire pits and/or if using devices with lids.

“The use of liquid gas camp stoves and propane barbecues with on/off controls and charcoal barbecues are also permitted in all city parks and campgrounds,” both cities noted.

They recommend keeping a fire extinguisher nearby.

“Please be safe and enjoy the remainder of the summer,” Chehalis Fire Department Ken Cardinale wrote.

The state Department of Natural Resources eased its burn ban in Western Washington as well.

“Recent rains and cooler temperatures across Western Washington are prompting DNR to reduce campfire restrictions west of the Cascade Mountains,” the state agency wrote.

Effective today, campfires will be allowed within approved fire pits in designated campgrounds in state parks, state forests and on other lands protected by DNR.

Individual jurisdictions may have their own continued campfire bans. Check local restrictions, campground signs or with campground hosts before starting a campfire.