Lewis County Sirens.com

Children were removed through the back of a wrecked mini van still in their car seats this afternoon on Interstate 5. / Courtesy photo by Grant Wiltbank

PINNED ON INTERSTATE 5

• Firefighters and medics from four area departments responded to an approximately 1:40 p.m. collision today on northbound Interstate 5 northeast of Winlock. A mini van carrying a man, a woman and three children was pinned against the concrete center barrier by a semi truck’s trailer, according to an off-duty firefighter who stopped to help. Crews quickly stabilized the incident and removed all occupants safely through the rear hatch, with the girls still in their car seats, Toledo resident Grant Wiltbank said. The former fire chief of Toledo’s fire department said they were transported for what were described as non-life threatening injuries. It happened near the U.S. Highway 12 interchange. Another van was also involved but sustained relatively minor damage, he said.  The Washington State Patrol was on the scene investigating, according to Wiltbank.

REAR-ENDED ON INTERSTATE 5

• Two drivers were hospitalized with neck pain after a rear-end-type collision on northbound Interstate 5 near the Mellen Street interchange in Centralia yesterday evening, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

HARASSMENT

• Centralia police were called to the 200 block of North Ash Street about 6:45 a.m. today where an individual reported that during a dispute, a male threatened to kill him. The investigation is underway, according to the Centralia Police Department.

BURGLARY AND THEFT CENTRALIA

• A 24-year-old Centralia man was arrested for residential burglary yesterday in connection with an approximately 9 p.m. call to the 500 block of West Pine Street, according to the Centralia Police Department. James J. Ayres Brewer was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• A 23-year-old Centralia resident seen coming out the back door of a house on the 2300 block of Salzer Valley Road in Centralia at about noon on Friday was arrested for a warrant and for residential burglary. Mykl C.P. Teeter and the female he was with said they were picking up belongings for a past renter and feeding the dogs, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The owner when contacted said they did not recognize the two and had never heard of them, detective Sgt. Steve Aust said. Teeter was booked into the Lewis County Jail for his Centralia warrant and also for burglary, Aust said. He was released today without charges filed pending further investigation.

• Centralia police were called around noon yesterday to the 100 block of West Magnolia Street where an individual reported the theft of tires off their vehicle.

CAR PROWL

• Chehalis police were called on Saturday to the 400 block of Southwest 15th Street where sometime during the night someone broke into a vehicle and stole fishing gear.

LOST AND FOUND

• Chehalis police were called about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday about a wedding ring lost in a parking lot on South Market Boulevard.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, urinating in public, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, runaway child, shoplifting and other misdemeanor theft,  issue civil in nature and not criminal, to tell transients to put out their campfire, dogs alone inside presumably too-hot parked vehicle, baby sleeping alone inside inside a parked car in front of a retail store, collision on city street … and more.

A wreck involving three vehicles was cleared from Interstate 5 just after 3 p.m. / Courtesy photo by Grant Wiltbank

•••

TIMBER FIRE BURNS NEAR ALDER LAKE

• An approximately 25-acre fire burning just south of Alder Lake yesterday afternoon is unsafe and inaccessible to firefighters because of the steep terrain, according to a public affairs officer with the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Helicopters dropping buckets of water have been helpful with the lightning-strike caused timber fire which was reported on Tuesday, according to authorities. The fire is near Elbe and being managed by the Gifford Pinchot and the state Department of Natural Resources. A Type 3 wildland fire management team with approximately 40 firefighters and personnel are assigned, operating at the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District. There is no estimate of containment or control. Officials remind the public of restrictions that began on July 1 all through the Gifford Pinchot that prohibit any kind of motorized vehicles on trails, any smoking outside of buildings or enclosed vehicles and any campfires unless they are built inside the provided metal campfire rings or grills in developed recreational sites.

POLICE: DAYTIME OFFICE BURGLAR APPREHENDED

• Centralia police arrested a 37-year-old Morton man on Saturday after they found him inside a closed business on the 1100 block of Kresky Avenue. Officers were called at 1:20 p.m. by a citizen who saw a male throw a rock through the glass door and enter, according to the Centralia Police Department. When police arrived, the subject was rummaging through the office and “squared off” against an officer, according to police.   Joseph C. Tjelde had allegedly stuffed his pockets with various items of no particular street vale, Sgt. Carl Buster said. Tjelde  was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree burglary.

BREAK-IN

• Police were called to the 500 block of North Rock Street about 10:15 a.m. on Saturday regarding the theft of tools from a residence.

FRAUD

• Centralia police were called about 8 o’clock on Sunday morning to the 1800 block of Shamrock Drive where an individual reported two credit card accounts were fraudulently opened in their name.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, trespassing, misdemeanor assault, driving with suspended license, violation of an anti-harassment order, unlawful possession of fireworks; responses for hit and run, misdemeanor theft, collision on city street … and more.

•••

MOTHER NATURE DANGER

• Firefighters were called at 1 p.m. yesterday when lightning strikes to trees caused two brush fires along Lincoln Creek Road west of Centralia. Firefighters with the state Department of Natural Resources were already on the scene at the 2100 block and both fires were small and contained quickly, according to Riverside Fire Authority. It was fortunate it was continuously raining at the time, preventing anything larger from developing, Capt. Erik Olson indicated. Conditions are still very dry and the fire danger remains high, despite the small amount of rain that fell, according to Olson.

CAR PROWL

• Police were called about 10:25 a.m. yesterday to the 2500 block of Kristine Court in Centralia about a flashlight getting stolen from a vehicle.

FAKE BILL COLLECTOR THREATS

• Police and the Centralia Utilities Center are warning customers of a scam involving bogus collection calls. Authorities have gotten several complaints from customers who reported receiving a phone call from a male who said if they didn’t pay their bill immediately, their utilities would be shut off,  according to the Centralia Police Department. Anyone who gets such a call is urged to hang up and then phone 360-330-7657. Police detective Patty Finch said that is the only valid number for the utilities customer service department. Finch indicates it’s a rare occasion the utility will call a customer, and that would be after both a statement and a past due letter have been sent out.

CRIME STOPPERS

• Crime Stoppers of Lewis County and the Chehalis Police Department are seeking help with a burglary investigation involving some $3,000 worth of Ray-Ban and other brands of sunglasses stolen from an optometry business at the 100 block of Boistfort Street in Chehalis. The break-in occurred between 6 p.m. on July 30 and 4 o’clock the following morning, according to authorities. More than 30 pairs were taken. Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 for information leading to the clearance of crimes. Anonymous calls can be made to 1-800-748-6422 or information may be shared online at www.lewiscountycrimestoppers.org

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor assault; responses for collision on city street, collision on Interstate 5 … and more.