Lewis County Sirens.com

Updated at 6:12 p.m.

ACRE OF BRUSH IN NORTH CENTRALIA BURNS

• Members of Riverside Fire Authority spent the better part of five hours today extinguishing a fire on property next to the abandoned Centralia Plywood Mill at the north end of town. Crews were called about 10 a.m. to the area where Central Boulevard dead ends after they began to get calls about a large amount of thick black smoke, Chief Mike Kytta said. “We did find fire in vegetation, so it was in grass, brush and some trees,” he said. “It spread out over about one acre.” The chief said they had reason to suspect it may have been burning all night, as they found deeply charred logs. The smoke began when the rubber on old conveyors and tires laying around ignited, he said. They were joined by an engine from Chehalis. Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal Rick Mack is looking into the cause, he said. The area is overgrown with berry vines, and not really frequented, he said. Representatives of the property owners, Jorgensen Timber LLC, were bringing in an excavator and planned to sit on it and watching for spot fires, according to Kytta.

RANDLE HOME CATCHES FIRE

• Firefighters responded about 9 o’clock this morning to a fire in a double wide mobile home in Randle that appeared accidental, according to Lewis County Fire District 14. Chief Jeff Jaques said nobody was home at the time at the residence on the 100 block of Kiona Road. “There was fire damage to the kitchen but there was smoke damage throughout,” Jaques said. It was extinguished by 11 members of the fire departments in Randle and Glenoma. The cause is being looked into by a fire investigator, he said.

ASSAULT

• Police were called to the emergency room at Providence Centralia Hospital about 5:10 a.m. today after a patient allegedly punched a nurse in the face. Further details were not readily available.

THEFT

• Centralia police were called about 4:20 p.m. yesterday to the 1600 block of Johnson Road regarding the theft of jewelry.

• Chehalis police were contacted yesterday about a compound bow missing from Northwest Middle Street.

DRUGS

• A 22-year-old woman was arrested yesterday in Chehalis for alleged possession of heroin in connection with a search of a vehicle discovered unoccupied after a short police pursuit early last week. Sarah J. Branam, of Centralia, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• Centralia police arrested two underage males yesterday evening for possession of marijuana at the 1200 block of Woodland Avenue. Grant T. Brandt, 20, of Centralia, and Dakota J. Tryon, 18 of Olympia, were cited and then released according to the Centralia Police Department.

DOG FIGHT

• An Onalaska pet already labeled a potentially dangerous dog from a June incident is in trouble again after allegedly fighting with a neighbor dog and biting the neighbor who tried to break it up last night. A deputy called to the 500 block of Burnt Ridge Road was told by the 64-year-old man he heard his dog yelping as they walked back from the mailbox, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said he got bit near his thumb and his pet had injuries on its stomach and leg but didn’t note what if any injuries the Pit Bull sustained. Its owner, a 28-year-old Onalaskan, will be getting a citation in the mail, Brown said. The case will also be referred to animal control for review, according to Brown.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving under the influence, resisting arrest; responses for disputes, misdemeanor theft, violation of protection order; complaint of surly subject in a wheelchair at freeway offramp, woman screaming at children to quit crying in Wal-Mart parking lot … and more.

Updated at 7:08 p.m.

THEFT IN CENTRALIA

• Centralia police were called about 11:25 a.m. yesterday regarding two televisions stolen from the 600 block of Nick Road. The case is under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

THEFT IN VADER

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports this morning a Vader resident was cited for allegedly restoring his water service himself by cutting a lock after he had been blocked from the service. A deputy responding on Monday to the 500 block of B Street learned that Jason Rayfield benefitted by getting possibly as much as 500 gallons of water, according to the sheriff’s office. Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said Rayfield admitted he did it but said he didn’t know it was a crime. He was issued the citation and then released, according to Brown. The loss is estimated at $178, Brown said.

FRAUD OVER THE PHONE

• Chehalis police were contacted yesterday morning regarding a possible telephone scam involving the IRS. Deputy Chief Randy Kaut said the department has been getting a lot of those kinds of reports lately.

ANIMAL SOUNDS EMITTING FROM UTILITY POLE

• Chehalis police were called about 1:10 a.m. today about a power pole making river otter noises for the previous two hours. Deputy Chief Randy Kaut said he had no information on what the officer may have found. The Chehalis Fire Department said it apparently was one of three old emergency speakers around town and public works went out and turned it off, as perhaps its battery was dying.

FROM THE COURTHOUSE

• Benjamin E. Hearn made an Alford plea – not admitting guilt – yesterday to third-degree rape of a child, in connection with allegations of a sexual relationship with a teenage girl. The 35-year-old Curtis resident was arrested in January for events that allegedly began in 2012 involving a 14-year-old friend of his daughter. He was taken into custody yesterday on a no-bail hold until his sentencing, which is scheduled for the morning of Sept. 17 in Lewis County Superior Court, according to court documents. His lawyer David Arcuri has said Hearn faces a year and a day in prison. The standard range for the offense for a defendant with no criminal history is 12 to 14 months.

COLLISIONS

• Troopers were called last night after a Chehalis police car traveling on the 2300 block of Jackson Highway collided with a deer at about 10:20 p.m. Nobody was injured except for the deer and the damage to the vehicle was fairly minor, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• A 45-year-old Onalaska man sustained a possible concussion when he totaled his car on the 800 block of Middle Fork Road at about 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said this morning. Darren S. Carmen was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for driving under the influence and with a suspended license, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.

• A 25-year-old Pe Ell woman and a 1-year-old child both suffered possible head injuries when she lost control of her Ford Bronco and rolled it last night on Lost Valley Road in Curtis near milepost four, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy called about 10:45 p.m. was told by the driver she was going too fast down a hill, according to the sheriff’s office. The baby boy had been strapped into a car seat, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. They were both transported to the hospital, she said. The driver was cited for speeds to fast and no insurance, according to Brown.

• Three adults and a 3-month-old infant were hospitalized last night after a three-vehicle wreck on Interstate 5 in Centralia that began with a deer on the roadway. Firefighters called about 10:50 p.m. to the northbound lanes north of the Wal-Mart exit found all lanes were blocked and all victims had gotten out of their cars on their own. Troopers report a couple from Edmonds swerved to avoid the deer, lost control and rolled their four-door Saturn before hitting the center barrier. A 29-year-old woman driving a Ford Focus stopped so she wouldn’t hit them, and a 21-year-old Onalaska resident in another Focus ran into the first Focus, according to the Washington State Patrol. They were all (except for the 29-year-old) transported to Providence Centralia Hospital in stable condition, according to Riverside Fire Authority. According to a hospital spokesperson, treated and released were Dennis M. Campion, 57, Donna J. Jensen, 59, both of Edmonds; and Phaedra S. Witzel, 21, Onalaska. The state patrol described  the baby boy as uninjured.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor assault; responses for alarm, disputes, misdemeanor theft, hit and run, collisions on city streets, suspicious circumstances; complaint of dog on a walk leaving poop in yard … and more.

MISSING EXCAVATOR TURNS UP IN CENTRALIA

• Two people were arrested in an investigation that wrapped up yesterday involving a stolen excavator recovered on property at the 1400 block of South Schueber Road in Centralia. Deputies learned from the 44-year-old victim in Rochester he got a tip on social media where his missing machine might be and deputies found it on Saturday on property belonging to 52-year-old Terry M. Petrich, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Petrich told deputies that 50-year-old Michal R. Larisch from Rochester brought it there to do some work in exchange for a couple of vehicles, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies concluded Larisch used it for a job on the 3700 block of Cooks Hill Road and his own property, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. Larisch happened to be driving by when deputies were at Petrich’s place and a bucket for the excavator was found in the back of his vehicle, according to Brown. Both men were booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree possession of stolen property and trafficking in stolen property, Brown said. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a truck and trailer which were stolen in Rochester and believed to be used to haul the excavator, which was stolen from a nursery.  The trailer was recovered yesterday and deputies suspect the truck was dismantled and its engine and transmission sold to someone in Oakville, according to Brown. Prosecutors were to release Petrich today without charges, pending further investigation.

BREAK-IN GLENOMA

• A deputy was called yesterday to a burglary at the 8800 block of U.S. Highway 12 in Glenoma in which a resident arrived home to find a bedroom curtain hanging out the window and a screen removed. Unspecified items from the carport and shed were found sitting in the yard but nothing was missing,  according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

CAR PROWL

• Chehalis police were called about 7 a.m. today about a possible vehicle prowl on South Market Boulevard.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, violation of no-contact order; responses for alarm, disputes, misdemeanor theft, collisions on city streets, suspicious circumstances … and more.

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT IN THE FOREST

• A motorcyclist and his female passenger were transported to Morton General Hospital yesterday evening after they crashed on Forest Service Road 25 in East Lewis County. They were traveling northbound near milepost 10 when they came upon a sweeping left curve and the 68-year-old Olympia man applied the brake; the 2002 Yamaha XVS stopped suddenly to its left side and slid to a stop, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He thought the front brake may have seized, according to the deputy’s report. Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said the full extent of their injuries were unknown, but the passenger ended up with abrasions and the driver had a possible collarbone injury.

VEHICLE VERSUS BICYCLE IN CHEHALIS

• Police responded about 7:30 p.m. yesterday when a 33-year-old Chehalis man on a bicycle was struck by a van while crossing 13th Street at South Market Boulevard. The man had an injury to his foot or ankle, according to the Chehalis Police Department. No citation has been issued as of this morning, as there were conflicting stories about who had the right-of-way, according to police. The driver of the Ford Econline van is a 31-year-old Elma resident, Deputy Chief Randy Kaut said.

FIREARM MISSING

• A pistol was reported stolen yesterday afternoon from a travel trailer residence on the 3200 block of Galvin Road in Centralia.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police were called about noon yesterday regarding a wallet stolen from the 100 block of South Silver Street and learned that someone had attempted to use the credit card.

• A wallet and an iPhone were among the property stolen from a vehicle on Southwest First Street near Market Boulevard in Chehalis yesterday.

DRUGS

• A 35-year-old Chehalis man was arrested yesterday in connection with a traffic stop back on April 8 in which a search of the vehicle turned up a white crystalline substance. Jacob E. Waldrop was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Deputy Chief Randy Kaut said he didn’t know specifically the reason for the delay.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants,  misdemeanor assault, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, disputes, shoplifting, possibly suicidal person, possible theft of prescription meds, suspicious circumstances, dogs left alone in parked vehicles … and more.