Posts Tagged ‘By Sharyn L. Decker’

News brief: Suspect in Winlock High School bomb threat arrested

Friday, May 4th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 15-year-old student was arrested yesterday after allegedly confessing he was behind the boys’ locker room bathroom stall message about a bomb at Winlock High School earlier this week so “he could get out of school early.”

Sheriff’s deputies yesterday followed up on the Tuesday incident that led to an evacuation conducting interviews with multiple students and reviewing surveillance video, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect, who lives in Chehalis, was contacted at his home, according to the sheriff’s office. He was not at school yesterday, because the day before he had been found smoking marijuana on the football field, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said.

The boy was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center for making a bomb threat and possession of marijuana, Kimsey said.

Kimsey said there is no evidence linking the boy to previous similar incidents at the school.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, May 3rd, 2018
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THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• A Kawasaki KSX700 four-wheeler was stolen from inside a container in which it was stored at the 500 block of Oakland Avenue in Centralia sometime between 2 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. yesterday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A lock had been destroyed, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A 51-year-old homeless person was arrested yesterday for second-degree theft for allegedly stealing a bicycle valued at more than $1,000 in a case associated with the 400 block of West Main Street in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department. Benjamin D. Huntley was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• An officer was called to the 700 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia about 6:15 a.m. today to take a report of the theft of clothing and medications.

• Centralia police were called to the 1100 block of Eckerson Avenue in about 12:30 p.m. yesterday to take a report of the theft of mail.

FRAUD

• An individual called police about 3:50 p.m. yesterday from the 1100 block of South Pearl Street in Centralia to report her tax refund was diverted and applied to a debt that was not hers.  The matter is under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• An adult male was issued a notice of infraction for smoking marijuana in public at First and B streets in Centralia at about 8:30 p.m. yesterday.

• An 18-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for possession of marijuana after contact with an officer about 4:30 p.m. yesterday at the 600 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia. Gabriela A. Garcia was issued a citation and then released, according to the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, probation violation, fourth-degree domestic assault, third-degree malicious mischief, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, failure to transfer title; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, hit and run, disorderly person, trespassing, suspicious circumstances … and more among 185 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

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018
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STRUGGLE OVER CURRENCY LEADS TO ROBBERY CHARGE

• An attempt to collect on a $20 loan turned ugly yesterday with a 25-year-old woman allegedly squeezing an acquaintance around the neck, hitting her and biting the top of her head as they struggled over the money. Emily S. Erickson, of Longview, contacted along Foster Creek Road, said she was actually attacked by 61-year-old Toledo woman, but Erickson had no apparent injuries and the older woman did, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The alleged victim told deputies Erickson arrived to her home at the 100 block of Charlotte Lane in Toledo yesterday afternoon for her money, but the alleged victim was only going to give her $15 since Erickson had borrowed a tube of Neosporin and never returned it, according to the sheriff’s office. They struggled over the bills and torn currency was found in Erickson’s pocket, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said. Erickson was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree robbery and second-degree assault, Kimsey said.

AUTO THEFT

• Shawna L. Schuster, 46, of Bremerton, and Scott E. Wilcox, 46, a homeless person, were both arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle in a case from about 3:50 p.m. yesterday associated with the 1300 block of Lum Road, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A Honda reported stolen on April 11 in Centralia was recovered about 10:10 a.m. yesterday at the 1100 block of North Pearl Street in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FRAUD

• Chehalis police were called about 9 a.m. yesterday by a business at the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue regarding the receipt of some bad checks.

• A Chehalis resident called police about 8:30 a.m. yesterday to report someone had used her credit card number, although she still had the card.

BIKE THEFT

• Randy J. Mullins, 33, of Centralia was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree theft yesterday morning after allegedly stealing a bicycle valued at more than $1000, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRINKING OUTDOORS

• Dale W. Douglas, 46, of Centralia, and Lance R. Lafferty, 40, of Centralia, were cited for drinking in public about 12:30 p.m. yesterday at the 500 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department. They were then released.

SCHOOL BOMB SCARE

• Authorities plan to go through surveillance video from the hallway to the bathroom in the boys’ locker room at Winlock High School to see if they can figure out who wrote a message on a stall stating: “I’m going to bomb the school.” A student found the writing, reported it to a teacher and the principal reported it at 12:44 p.m. yesterday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Four responding deputies searched but were unable to find anything suspicious, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said. Kimsey said it’s the second or third time this year of a similar incident.

OUTBUILDING GUTTED BY FIRE

• A 17-year-old boy who fell asleep inside a small outbuilding used for a changing area adjacent to a hot tub at a Centralia residence awoke to a fire burning in the corner next to a portable heater overnight, but escaped without injury, according to Riverside Fire Authority. Firefighters called at 1 a.m. to the 100 block of Blanchard Road found the structure well-involved and threatening the residence, according to the fire department. The fire was quickly brought under control, but a.vehicle parked close by sustained some exterior thermal damage, Fire Capt. Scott Weinert stated. Damage is estimated at $5,000.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, protection order violation, fourth-degree domestic assault, third-degree domestic malicious mischief; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, hit and run, disorderly person, unfounded report, suspicious circumstances … and more among 163 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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Changing building gutted by fire. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority

Names released in two weekend Lewis County deaths

Tuesday, May 1st, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County coroner says 21-year-old Austin Smith died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

The manner of death has been labeled a homicide, but the sheriff’s office yesterday said they were investigating the circumstances which a witness said was an accidental discharge by Smith’s 20-year-old brother who was handling a firearm at a residence on the 500 block of Third Street in Pe Ell.

Aid and deputies were called to the home just before 9 a.m. on Saturday, but Smith died enroute to the hospital. Both men are residents of Pe Ell.

Coroner Warren McLeod also released the name of the 46-year-old man found dead by his girlfriend in the 300 block of Mandy Road outside Toledo near an Interstate 5 overpass about noon on Saturday.

Christopher E. Torkelson, 46, of Toledo, died from multiple blunt force injuries to the head, neck chest and back, according to McLeod.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help to figure out what happened. They said the girlfriend told them  she had last seen him late Friday night into Saturday morning and was looking for him.

A determination on his manner of death won’t come until after further investigation and the results of toxicology tests, according to McLeod.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Tuesday, May 1st, 2018
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Updated

BARN BURGLED

• A deputy was called about 8 a.m. yesterday for a burglary to a barn at the 1100 block of South Military Road in Winlock in which more than $3,200 worth of equipment was stolen sometime since last Wednesday. Stolen were four Stihl weed eaters and three Husqvarna chainsaws. One chainsaw was a 555 model with serial number of 151300427; the other two were 550 models with serial numbers of 153900670 and 132501052, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. There was no forced entry into the building, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said.

• Centralia police were called about 3:45 p.m. yesterday to the 900 block of South Scheuber Road to take a report of an unknown person going through unlocked offices and stealing credit card and check books.

• An Apple computer was reported stolen from inside a residence on the 3000 block of Borst Avenue in Centralia about 2:45 p.m. yesterday, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Police were called to the 700 block of North Pearl Street in Centralia about 1:20 p.m. yesterday for graffiti spray painted on the side of a house.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 23-year-old Packwood resident suffered a possible head injury when he lost control of his vehicle on a sweeping curve, went airborne and landed in the trees late yesterday afternoon at the 200 block of Skate Creek Road South in Packwood. The 1989 Suzuki passenger car sustained major damage, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy responding to the approximately 5 p.m. wreck issued an infraction for wheels off the roadway, according to the sheriff’s office. It appeared the driver was traveling too fast, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said. The driver was transported to Morton General Hospital and kept overnight for observation, Kimsey said.

• Chehalis police were called at 4 p.m. yesterday after an episode near Main Street and Interstate 5 of road rage in which the two vehicles exited at the milepost 76 interchange and one driver walked up to the window of the other and threatened to assault him. The two then went their separate ways, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, civil issue, hit and run, misdemeanor theft, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances … and more among 165 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Woman finds boyfriend’s body below I-5 bridge

Monday, April 30th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Sheriff’s detectives are seeking the public’s help to determine what happened after a 46-year-old man was found dead in the 300 block of Mandy Road outside Toledo near an Interstate 5 overpass.

A 41-year-old Toledo woman called 911 just after noon on Saturday to say she had been looking for her boyfriend and found him dead there, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

The I-5 overpass crosses over Mandy Road in South Lewis County.

The girlfriend said she had last seen him late Friday night into Saturday morning, according to the sheriff’s office.

An autopsy is pending, sheriff’s Chief Dusty Breen said today.

The sheriff’s office asks anyone with possible information on the incident to call the sheriff’s office at 360-748-9286 or Lewis County Communications at 360-740-1105.

Fatal shooting of man by brother in Pe Ell under investigation

Monday, April 30th, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 21-year-old man is dead after being shot by his younger brother in Pe Ell, in a weekend incident a witness said was unintentional.

Sheriff’s detectives are investigating the shooting they were notified of at 8:55 a.m. on Saturday at a residence on the 500 block of Third Street, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

In interviews, deputies were told the 20-year-old was handling a firearm when it discharged, striking the victim, according to the sheriff’s office. The 21-year-old succumbed to his injuries during transport by aid to the hospital, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

The 911 caller was a 26-year-old Pe Ell woman who was visiting the 21-year-old and his 20-year-old brother, according to Breen.

The sheriff’s office did not release any names, but said the brothers are residents of Pe Ell.

Anyone with possible information on the incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 360-748-9286 or Lewis County Communications at 360-740-1105.