Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Instead of going forward with an arraignment yesterday, prosecutors released from jail a 22-year-old accused of injuring her boyfriend’s toddlers.

Chandra M. Munsey was arrested last week, held with no bail and then charged on Monday with two counts of second-degree child assault. The judge set her bail at $50,000.

Chandra M. Munsey

Authorities have revealed little about the case, other than alleging it occurred in Lewis County between Monday and Wednesday of last week.

The boys, ages 2 and 3, were taken from their father into protective custody. Thirty-one-year-old Casiano Baldovinos has said he believes his girlfriend is innocent and that he found his children with bruises when he picked them up from Munsey’s parents home outside of Centralia, and then called police.

Baldovinos and Munsey live together in Chehalis, her lawyer told the court earlier this week.

Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said yesterday he asked the judge to reduce Munsey’s bail to a $10,000 signature bond.

“We’re continuing our investigation, we need more time,” Meagher said as to the reason why.

The court related timelines and deadlines that apply for a defendant who is out of custody are less strict than for those who are locked up, according to Meagher.

“The only way to buy more time is to let her out of jail,” he said.

The documents detailing the allegations have been sealed by the judge at the prosecutor’s request. Meagher indicated the reason for the temporary closure of the records is to prevent information in them from interfering with the sheriff’s office continuing investigation.

Munsey’s arraignment is now expected to take place next Thursday in Lewis County Superior Court.
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For background, read “Lewis County Sheriff’s Office investigating child assault, one arrested” from Tuesday July 28, 2015, here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Who wants to see SWAT team equipment up close? Meet a search and rescue dog? Watch firefighters use their extrication tool?

For those curious about emergency responders and the work they do, all that and more can be found in one place tomorrow, in the parking lot of Bethel Church of the Assemblies of God in Napavine.

The public is invited to the four-hour gathering to meet and interact with the many different first responders serving the citizens of Lewis County.

“This event is an opportunity for the community to meet their first responders, see the equipment they use, ask questions, see demonstrations, and interact with the people and agencies that make Lewis County a safer place to live,” Lewis County Sheriff Robert Snaza states in a news release.

It runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. They’re calling it a First Responders Day, and it’s hosted by the sheriff’s office in partnership with numerous local public safety agencies and organizations.

Attendees can watch demonstrations by law enforcement of less lethal weapons, a police pursuit and a K-9 doing its thing, as well as personnel from a Life Flight helicopter in action.

Bethel Church is just east of Interstate 5 at exit 72 in Napavine.

Here is a tentative schedule:

10 a.m. – SWAT Team Equipment Demo
10:30 a.m. – Fire – Hurst Extrication Tool Demo
11 a.m. – Law Enforcement – Less Lethal Demo
11:30 a.m. – Staged Pursuit with Stop Stix Deployment, and K-9 Demo
12:30 p.m. – EMS – Life Flight Helicopter Demo
1 p.m. – SAR – Search Dog Demo
1:30 p.m. –   Q & A

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Lewis County District Court judges are proposing they stop holding court in East Lewis County.

Since 1974, the judges have been required to hold court at least once each month in Morton.

But Judges R.W. Buzzard and Wade Samuelson feel the time has come to end the half day sessions held in the Bob Lyle Community Center.

All the cases are non-criminal traffic violations, averaging about 20 on the schedule each month.

“The small number of people out there who get cited and want to go before a judge, they still can,” Buzzard said. “They can do it in Chehalis.”

The judge’s conversation came as they reviewed the possible change with the Lewis County Board of Commissioners yesterday. The board would have to take official action, after getting advice from a districting committee and also hold a public hearing.

The process could take up to a year, they said.

Samuelson told the commissioners many of the recipients of tickets are travelers and said there are some processes in place for those who don’t simply pay their ticket to deal with them by mail.

Among the reasons they gave for the idea were the costs of three individuals traveling in a county vehicle to a venue that’s lacking customary court security and the usual resources available in their courtrooms in Chehalis at the Lewis County Law and Justice Center.

Buzzard said it’s not fiscally responsible.

The cities of Morton, Mossyrock, Pe Ell and Toledo don’t have their own municipal courts, they contract with Lewis County District Court to handle their cases, according to Buzzard.

Commissioner Gary Stamper who represents that area of the county asked if District Court materials and information might be placed at Morton City Hall.

“I’m not opposed to it,” Stamper said. “I’d just want to make sure we have all our ducks lined up in a row.”

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 54-year-old man struck by a large limb while falling timber outside of Rochester this morning was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Centralia area firefighters called about 9:30 a.m. were joined by responders from West Thurston Regional Fire Authority, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

The patient suffered a head injury, including a laceration to the back of his head, according to Firefighter Karl VonBargen.

He was carried on a backboard about 150 feet to a logging road and taken by ambulance to a helicopter landing zone off Nelson Road, according to VonBargen.

The injuries were described as serious.