News brief: Inappropriate touching case from Sunbird ends with plea deal

September 29th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 33-year-old man charged with indecent liberties for allegedly grabbing the hand of a 20-year-old special needs student and placing it in his crotch area while the two were working at Sun Bird Shopping Center in Chehalis was sentenced yesterday to 90 days in jail.

Rodney R. Cook, from Olympia, was arrested last month.

The young woman was participating in a  program in which students go to local businesses to learn job skills.

Cook entered into a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to two counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation and the indecent liberties charge was dropped, according to his lawyer Kevin Nelson.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt yesterday accepted the agreed recommendation in which Cook would be given 364 days in jail with all but 90 of them suspended for two years. He’s already served 43 days.
•••

For background, read “Sunbird employee accused of inappropriately touching  developmentally disabled worker” from Thursday August 18, 2016, here

Prosecutors: Winlock store clerk and suspect faked robbery

September 29th, 2016
2016-0929-cheryl-oleachea-8957

Cheryl D. Oleachea waits to leave the courtroom after her bail hearing today in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The clerk from Winlock’s Handi store has been arrested in connection with the robbery there earlier this month.

Police arrested a 45-year-old Winlock man for the Sept. 6 incident and charged him with second-degree robbery and second-degree burglary. Tamrick A. Torres told them he and the clerk had conspired to rob the store because she was unhappy with her wages there, according to prosecutors.

And last week, when an officer ran into him, stopping him for speeding, Torres reportedly shared further details, according to court documents.

“Torres stated that his attorney would be mad at him for providing this  information, but that he didn’t care,” prosecutors wrote in court documents.

Torres allegedly said he had the mask he used that night and also a BB gun that looked like a pistol which the clerk provided him to make it look more realistic, Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello wrote.

When police were called to the nighttime incident on Kerron Avenue, they were told a person wearing a skeleton-type mask, had a handgun, demanded money from the till and the clerk handed it over. She said the subject had reached toward his waistband where she saw what looked like the black handle of a firearm, but Torres subsequently told police he didn’t use the BB gun during the robbery because he thought it was a bad idea.

On Monday, the clerk, Cheryl D. Oleachea was contacted by law enforcement and continued to deny any involvement, according to Masiello. But she underwent a polygraph examination and the results show she was not truthful, according to Masiello.

Oleachea, 53, was arrested yesterday and booked into the Lewis County Jail. She was charged today with second-degree theft in Lewis County Superior Court. The owner reported $1,589 in cash was missing.

Judge Nelson Hunt allowed her release on a $10,000 unsecured bond. Her arraignment is next week.
•••

For background, read “Robber with black and white Scream-type mask hits Winlock store” from Wednesday September 7, 2016, here

Final suspect in drug-related robbery going to prison

September 29th, 2016
2015.0612.lawandorder.final

•••

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The final of four suspects in a Centralia heroin-related incident this summer that resulted in a fight inside a car with a box cutter and bear spray was sentenced yesterday to one year and a day in prison.

Kiana J. DeLaRosa, 18, of Chehalis, was convicted by plea of second-degree robbery, but didn’t show up earlier this month for her sentencing hearing.

She and prosecutors had a deal in place in which she would have gotten only six months in jail, given she had no criminal history.

Yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court, she pleaded guilty to bail jumping and the cases were combined for the longer sentence.

Prosecutors alleged a set up of a drug deal; the two victims told police of a request to get some heroin for DeLaRosa who claimed to be “drug sick.” It happened at the 1600 block of North Scheuber Road in Centralia at about 6:45 a.m. on Saturday, July 30.

A purse and a backpack were taken and two of the subjects admitted to finding a small amount of heroin and using it before they were contacted by officers.

DeLaRosa’s attorney Chris Baum told the judge his client made bad choices and compounded her issues by not coming back to court.

DeLaRosa told the judge she wants someone to help her with her drug addiction.

“I just regret my mistake that I made, and I take full responsibility for them,” she said.

Judge Nelson Hunt imposed the agreed upon recommendation of Baum and the prosecutor’s office.

Robert Plasencia, 29, of Napavine, got 22 months when he was sentenced last month for second-degree robbery.

Andrea Parker, 34, and Jon Parker, 32, of Chehalis, pleaded guilty soon after to conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery. He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. She was given 50 months as her conviction was combined with four other cases from this year.
•••

For background, read “Bear spray, box cutter and heroin” from Friday August 12, 2016, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

September 29th, 2016
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

• Chehalis police were called about 3:45 p.m. yesterday to the 100 block of Southwest Sixth Street after a student reported seeing a shirtless male pushing an empty baby stroller holding a gun. A responding officer was unable to locate the subject but came up with an idea about who it might be and spoke to the person later on, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The male did not have a firearm but did have an old gas pump handle that may have looked like one, according to police. He denied taking it out or pointing it though, a department spokesperson said.

THREAT FROM CHILD DRAWS POLICE

• Police were called to the 1200 block of Southwest Pacific Avenue in Chehalis just before 5 p.m. yesterday and arrested a 13-year-old girl for felony harassment with threat to kill. A comment made was associated with a disagreement between the girl and a parent, according to the Chehalis Police Department. She was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center, according to police.

AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were called about 3:10 p.m. yesterday to the 600 block of Centralia College Boulevard where an individual reported their red 1997 Jeep Cherokee had been stolen sometime during the previous two hours. The license plate reads ADN 4768, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• An officer was called just before 2 p.m. yesterday to the 10 block of Southwest Third Street in Chehalis where someone had broke into a van which was behind two locked gates. They ransacked it and stole an iPad, a charger and a keyboard, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called about 11 a.m. yesterday for a vehicle prowl on the 10 block of Northeast Division Street. Someone stole a battery from inside an unlocked van parked in the lot, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

VEGETATION CATCHES FIRE

• Firefighters called abut 2:45 p.m. yesterday to fire in a field behind an apartment building in an area near the 100 block of Southwest William and Chehalis avenues found grass, brush and cottonwoods burning over about a half acre. The extinguished it and discovered sleeping bags and trash at the origin of the fire, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrant, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, identity theft, third-degree theft, suspicious person, vandalism, collision on city street … and more among 149 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Details on Glenoma crash, fatality still under investigation

September 29th, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The identity of the victim of the early morning fiery crash near Glenoma may not be confirmed until the end of next week, the Lewis County Coroner’s Office indicated this morning.

Passersby came upon the burning wreckage of a pickup truck on the Champion 200 Line just before 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The occupant was trapped in the vehicle and died, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

At the time, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said they believed, based in part on who the truck was registered to, the driver was a 27-year-old Glenoma resident.

An autopsy was scheduled for today, but a final determination won’t be made until after they get the results of toxicology tests and further studies, according to Coroner Warren McLeod.
•••

For background, read “News brief: Lewis County sheriff’s office investigating logging road crash, death” from Tuesday September 27, 2016, here

News brief: Centralia teens hurt when truck leaves roadway

September 29th, 2016
2016-0928-ngoldwreckngold

Pickup truck rests on its top. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two young men were extricated from a small pickup truck that was nearly split in half from the force of its collision into a tree in Centralia last night.

Firefighters called about 9:20 p.m. to the area off North Gold Street at Ham Hill Road found the truck at the bottom of an embankment on its top. The occupants had been wearing seat belts, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

Crews used hydraulic tools to remove the 18-year-old driver and his 16-year-old passenger, according to authorities.

Fire Capt. Scott Weinert said because of suspected internal injuries, the pair were airlifted to Harborview Medial Center in Seattle.

Centralia police report this morning it appears that speed and inexperience were factors in the collision. The police department describes their injuries as non-life threatening.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

September 28th, 2016
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

FROM THE COURTHOUSE

• Bail was set at $15,000 this afternoon for a 19-year-old Rochester resident accused of showing up at the Centralia home of a female he was prohibited by court order from contacting and reaching into her sweatshirt pocket and taking her wallet before fleeing. The alleged incident occurred on Sept. 8, but charges were filed on Sept. 13 in Lewis County Superior Court. Jacob J. Killian was picked up on warrants last night and booked into the Lewis County Jail, facing charges of first-degree theft and violation of a court order. The wallet was said to contain identification, an EBT card and about $10 cash, according to court documents. His arraignment is tomorrow.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrant, probation violation, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, third-degree theft, disorderly person, trespassing, suspicious circumstances, homeless person sleeping on a covered porch, male living in a bus stop for over a week … and more among 178 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.