Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

July 22nd, 2016
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OUT-OF-CONTROL AT ROCK PIT

• A 24-year-old Centralia resident who smelled of intoxicants was finally detained after he allegedly tried to steal four vehicles early yesterday morning, was found at Sterling Breen Crushing at the 800 block of state Route 507, and yelled at deputies to get out of his way as he tried to back up a truck, but could only spin its tires. Deputies responded about 4:30 a.m. to a 911 hang up call and located a suspect at the rock pit, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said he ignored repeated commands to put show his hands and exit the vehicle. Emmanuel Martinez allegedly had also driven a dump truck over a rock pile and nearly into the water, causing an estimated $2,000 damage, Brown said. Two knives were retrieved from the seat beside him, she said. He was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for vehicle theft, burglary and malicious mischief, she said. Brown said he had also poured gas and oil on vehicles, walls and the floor in his father’s garage.

ELBOW TO FACE

• Chehalis police were called about 11:30 p.m. yesterday to Green Hill School to take a report of a student-inmate allegedly assaulting a staff member. The incident between the 17-year-old boy and a 27-year-old man involved an elbow to the face, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The case is being referred to prosecutors for a possible charge of custodial assault, according to police.

ELDERLY RESIDENT SCAMMED

• A man in his 80s reported to Centralia police yesterday he was contacted by phone and told he’d won prize money, and wired $500 to claim it.

SHED BURGLARY

• Police were called to the 100 block of East Carson Street in Centralia yesterday morning where they were told that sometime during the previous week, someone stole a pressure washer and a trimmer from their shed.

AUTO THEFT

• Chehalis police called at 1:30 p.m. yesterday about an abandoned vehicle at the 200 block of Southwest Sixth Street found it had been stolen. The owner of the Honda Civic came and got it, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Sometime between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. yesterday, a black 1995 Honda Accord vanished from where it had been parked at the 100 block of U.S. Highway 12 south of Chehalis. Its owner said she had left the keys on a spare tire next to the car, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The keys, the car and the tire were all missing, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A 2002 Infinity with a license plate reading AUM 867 was reported stolen at about 7:15 a.m. yesterday from the 500 block of South Pearl Street in Centralia.

VEHICLE PROWL

• An officer was called about 2:40 p.m. yesterday about a car prowl at the 1000 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia. Someone took a wallet from the unlocked vehicle, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Chehalis police were called just before 9 a.m. yesterday to the 1500 block of Northwest State Avenue regarding the discovery of damage to a new vehicle, when someone attempted to remove a “lock box,” according to the Chehalis Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 57-year-old Chehalis woman was uninjured but her 2011 Chevrolet sport utility vehicle sustained major front end damage when she struck a deer on the 2200 block of Pe Ell-McDonald Road at about 5 o’clock yesterday morning.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, probation violation, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, dispute, third-degree theft, hit and run, civil issue, suspicious circumstances, barking dog, collision on city street, report of inappropriate touching that occurred more than five years ago  … and more, among 157 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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Correction: The item involving Green Hill School has been updated to correctly reflect the possible charge.

Chehalis fight: Felony trial ends with misdemeanor convictions

July 21st, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A trial for two men accused of second-degree assault for a fight between distant relatives in Chehalis ended with both found guilty of two counts of fourth-degree assault.

The offenses are gross misdemeanors instead of felonies.

Edu Adsilva Leal, 23, of Chehalis and Gustavo Casmiro-Gomez, 31, were charged in February for the incident that took place the previous September at the 1300 block of Southwest Mills Avenue in Chehalis.

Prosecutors alleged one of them punched his cousin in the head and when the cousin’s father tried to intervene, the other knocked him to the ground, causing a head injury.

Casmiro-Gomez’s lawyer, Chris Baum, said there was yelling, an altercation and then testimony diverged as to what followed.

The jury deliberated in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday after the trial that began the week before.

The two defendants appeared in court this afternoon, out of custody, to set a date for their sentencing. The hearing will take place at 9 a.m. on August 3.
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For background, read “Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup – FROM THE COURTHOUSE” from Saturday February 27, 2016, here

News brief: Green Hill counselor-inmate sex case will end without a trial

July 21st, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A counselor who pleaded not guilty to custodial sexual misconduct in connection with a student-inmate at Green Hill School has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.

Erin Stiebritz, who also goes by the last name of Snodgrass, appeared in Lewis County Superior Court this afternoon to set a date to change her plea.

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Courtesy photo DSHS

The now-37-year-old  is expected back in court next Wednesday.

Stiebritz was arrested in January, following an investigation conducted by the Washington State Patrol during 2015.

Prosecutors alleged that the then resident-counselor had an intimate relationship with an incarcerated boy who turned 18 during that time, including engaging in sex in her office, during several months in 2014.

She has been free on an unsecured bond.

Green Hill is run by the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, a division of the Department of Social and Health Services. It’s a medium to maximum security fenced facility in Chehalis that provides older, male offenders education and vocational training.
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For background, read “Juvenile administrators speak out on arrest of Green Hill counselor” from Thursday January 14, 2016, here

News brief: Local Crime Stoppers program to be dissolved

July 21st, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Board members of Crime Stoppers of Lewis County have voted unanimously to cease operations.

While the program has seen a lot of success during its 21 years of existence, the large downturn in the number of tips coming in and the few cases they now help law enforcement solve, shows times have changed, the board said in a news release this afternoon. Board insurance takes up more and more of the budget coming from fundraisers, they said.

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“The board would like to thank all those individuals, social organizations and businesses that supported Crime Stoppers through the years,” the news release stated. “Without this generous support, Crime Stoppers would not have been successful.”

Over time, tips have led to 440 cleared cases, 356 arrests and a total dollar recovery amounting to $3,296,653, according to the board.

It has paid out rewards totaling $45,975.

Many people who have reported tips have not claimed their rewards. Any outstanding rewards must be claimed by September 20, 2016.

To inquire about collecting a reward call 360- 740-2726.

Crime Stoppers is hoping to find a group to take over its child identification program, where they make a kit for parents consisting of fingerprint, photo and DNA. To inquire about that, call 360- 740-2726.

The student Crime Stoppers programs in Chehalis and Adna school districts will also end.

The board made note that social media allows for other avenues of reporting crime. They encourage schools to work with local law enforcement to adopt a new program to replace Student Crime Stoppers.

News brief: Glenoma home catches fire

July 21st, 2016

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Firefighters were called to the 100 block of Kosmos Road in Glenoma yesterday when a fire broke out in a ceiling area.

Fire Investigator Jay Birley said one of the residents had just gotten home from town and was on the front porch when a smoke alarm alerted her.

“So she runs in there to see what’s going on and notices the fan, in the bathroom, had fallen out onto the floor and was on fire,” Birley said.

She woke up her boyfriend and got everyone out of the house, he said.

Lewis County Fire District 18, assisted by Fire Districts 3, 4 and 14, responded to the approximately 9:30 a.m. call.

Crews got there quickly, knocked it down and contained the damage to the attic, he said.

“They did an outstanding job,” he said.

The single-story older-style modular home is currently not habitable, but the family’s belongings can be saved, he said.

Birley is investigating and said this morning the fan is suspect.

It had been left on and running for a couple of hours, and they are not meant to be used for long durations, he said.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

July 21st, 2016
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Updated at 3:46 p.m.

MAN FINDS STRANGER IN HOUSE ON SEMINARY HILL

• A 29-year-old woman with a gun was arrested after a K-9 track located her talking with a neighbor on a front porch following an interrupted burglary on the 100 block of North Green Street in Centralia yesterday. Police were called at 12:30 p.m. after a resident arrived home to find a female he didn’t know inside his house, but she fled, according to the Centralia Police Department. A police dog with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office responded and found “articles” allegedly dropped by the intruder and subsequently came upon the suspect, according to the sheriff’s office. A Glock with a loaded magazine was found in her backpack, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said. Candice R. Baughman, of Rochester, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree burglary, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine, according to Kimsey.

POLICE: UNRULY DRUNK

• A 27-year-old Chehalis man was arrested yesterday evening after police were called to Southeast Dobson Court for a complaint that a person was pounding on other people’s doors. Police responding to the approximately 7:30 p.m. 911 call found a subject who was intoxicated and allegedly threatened bodily harm to the officer, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Michael K. Franz was arrested for harassment to a criminal justice employee and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

THEFT

• An officer was called late yesterday afternoon to the 200 block of Northwest Chehalis Avenue in Chehalis where an individual said a parcel containing medication had been delivered but was not actually received.

• Chehalis police were called just after 3 p.m. yesterday for an overnight vehicle prowl on Southwest William Avenue. A handbag with wallet and a shopping bag were stolen, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Centralia police were called at 9:20 a.m. yesterday to the 100 block of Harrison Avenue about the theft of money sometime during the night.

• Chehalis police were called to the 200 block of Southwest 13th Street just before 8 a.m. yesterday for a vehicle prowl that occurred during the night. Missing were two backpacks and a set of head phones, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 68-year-old Curtis man may have fallen asleep before he drove off the side of the 600 block of Boistfort Road and struck a power pole yesterday afternoon, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy called to the scene about 4:10 p.m. found the 2006 Nissan pickup sustained major damage but the driver was uninjured, according to the sheriff’s office.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, obstructing, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, shoplifting, suicidal person, suspicious circumstances, barking dog, collision on city street … and more, among 153 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Ex-manager of downtown Chehalis retailer sought for allegedly stealing money

July 20th, 2016
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By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A Lewis County judge issued an arrest warrant yesterday for the former manger of a Chehalis furniture store, accused of pocketing money from cash sales and concocting phony invoices.

Misti M. Moore was expected to make her first appearance yesterday afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court, as a summons had been issued when a charge of first-degree theft was filed last month.

The summons was sent to her address on Littlerock Road in Olympia, but was returned to the prosecutor’s office, Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meager said.

“We don’t know where she is,” Meager told the judge.

Moore, 45, had quit her job from Furniture World on North Market Boulevard with no explanation shortly before the business’s owner contacted Chehalis police in May of last year, according to court documents.

The owner Emina Jusupovic told an officer the issue came to her attention when a customer came in to ask about getting his furniture repaired and the items on his receipt did not match the entries in the company computer, Meagher wrote in charging documents.

A police detective was shown several instances suggesting similar cash transactions when he met with the new manager in July of last year.

One customer, for example, had a receipt showing he spent $2,000 on couches and love seats, but the store invoice showed a purchase of a table lamp for $43, according to Meagher.

That customer said he got a very good deal after he asked about a cash discount and a veteran’s discount and that one of the items he took home was advertised at $1,600 or $1,700, Meagher wrote.

Charging documents don’t indicate why it took more than a year to investigate and/or file criminal charges.

Meagher wrote in charging documents he currently has documentation of $5,880 missing, but the new manager found as much as $20,000 in discrepancies.

Moore has six prior felony convictions for embezzlement crimes committed in Virginia against another furniture store, according to Meagher.

Judge Nelson Hunt agreed to issue a $5,000 arrest warrant.