Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

March 23rd, 2018
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

Updated

VEHICLE THEFT

• A deputy was called to the 700 block of Independence Road last night where a man reported he had been working in the woods and returned to his car about 8 p.m. but it was gone. The gray 1993 Acura Integra had a Stihl chainsaw and a tablet inside, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It had a license plate reading C06345J, according to the sheriff’s office. At one point, the victim had heard a motorcycle in the area, possibly related to the theft, according to Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey.

• The owner of a gray 2003 Ford F250 pickup truck parked it in the morning and returned yesterday afternoon to the 800 block of West Main Street to find it had vanished. Chehalis police called just after 5 p.m. learned the missing vehicle had a 12th Man trailer hitch cover and also contained a chainsaw, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

BURGLARY

• An unknown suspect entered a residence at the 400 block of West Center Street in Centralia and stole numerous items to include a gaming system, according to a report made to police about 7:15 p.m. yesterday.

ASSAULT

• Centralia police were called about 9:10 a.m. yesterday to the 800 block of Field Avenue where a 10-year-old boy allegedly punched and kicked three staff members. The boy was currently on probation for assault, according to the Centralia Police Department. He was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center.

• Centralia police called just before 9 p.m. yesterday to the 1300 block of Harrison Avenue about a man allegedly pushing a neighbor during a dispute are sending a summons for fourth-degree assault to Rick L. Paxton, 65 of Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• A 40-year-old Chehalis man picked up on a probation violation warrant from a home on the 50 block of Southeast Spring Street in Chehalis about 10:40 p.m. yesterday was also arrested for possession of methamphetamine, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Patrick Ashley was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A traffic stop at the intersection of Estep and Forest-Napavine Road about 4:30 p.m. yesterday in which a motorist was found to be driving with a suspended license led to his arrest for possession of methamphetamine. Evan L. Crosby, 40, from Winlock, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A 14-year-old boy was arrested for possession of marijuana after he allegedly brought it to school at the 900 block of Johnson Road in Centralia yesterday morning. Police responding to a call just before 10 a.m. booked the teen into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CHIMNEY FIRE

• Firefighters called about 5:30 p.m. yesterday for a chimney fire at the 8800 block of 178th Avenue Southwest in Rochester found flames had extended into the surrounding structure and got it extinguished within about 15 minutes, according to West Thurston Regional Fire Authority. Chief Robert Scott said the damage to the house was estimated at $25,000. Nobody was hurt, he said.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, trespassing, third-degree theft, fourth-degree assault, driving with suspended license, operating motor vehicle without required ignition interlock device; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vehicle collision, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances … and more among 145 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

March 22nd, 2018
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

Updated

SEAFOOD HEIST

• Someone broke a window at a restaurant, went inside and stole cash plus two 50-pound boxes of frozen shrimp, according to a report made about 10 a.m. yesterday to police from the 1700 block of North National Avenue in Chehalis.

SHED BURGLED

• Centralia police were called to the 300 block of Kearney Street about 9:30 a.m. yesterday to take a report of a break-in to a garden shed in which several propane canisters were taken.

FLAG VANISHES

• An unknown suspect stole a flag from a flag pole in the front of a residence at the 200 block of West Oakview Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 4:50 p.m. yesterday.

DRUGS

• A small baggie of a crystal-like substance inside the boot of a woman being booked into the Lewis County Jail early this morning led to her arrest for possession of methamphetamine. Asham Kaem, 31, from Spanaway, was pulled over for a traffic violation about 2:40 a.m. in a parking lot at the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. She was found to be driving with a suspended license and taken to the jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A 33-year-old Edmonds resident was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and outstanding warrants after contact by police about 10:30 p.m. yesterday at the 400 block of West Main Street in Centralia. Victor V. Sands was booked into Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Three people were arrested after being removed from a vehicle at gun point at the 1600 block of South Gold Street yesterday. Drug detectives had been looking for Britney N. Bailey, 22, Chehalis, because of a warrant for her arrest related to a recent charge of possession of heroin with intent to deliver related to a Nov. 29 incident when she and Logen K. Elliott were detained in Chehalis. All three were booked into the Lewis County Jail. Bailey was charged today with possession of heroin and possession of methamphetamine. Elliott, 20, from Pe Ell, and Brian M. French, 32, of Chehalis, were charged with possession of heroin. Elliott had just been sentenced yesterday for possession with intent to deliver and two counts of drug possession, so his bail was set at $20,000, according to Lewis County Deputy prosecutor Joel DeFazio.

• A traffic stop at the 100 block of Salkum Road about 12:30 p.m. yesterday in which a motorist was found to be driving with a suspended license led to his arrest for possession of methamphetamine. A deputy contacted Richard S. Kelly, 57, of Salkum, and a search incident to his arrest turned up a small plastic container in his coat pocket with a white crystalized substance, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Kelly booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 53-year-old Rochester man was arrested after a police pursuit overnight that reached speeds of 100 mph and ran through three counties, beginning in the Napavine area. A trooper reported he assisted with a traffic stop about 11:37 p.m. in which Napavine police issued citations related to a vehicle drifting out the parking lot at Love’s truck stop, according to court papers. Afterward, the trooper went to detain the driver again, as the truck stop reported he had damaged their landscaping, the documents relate. Trooper Justin Schaffer wrote in a probable cause statement he caught up with the driver at the intersection of Newaukm Valley and Labree roads, but the driver got onto Interstate 5 heading north reaching the high speeds. Schaffer terminated his pursuit but the chase continued through Thurston County and into Pierce County, where Donald R. Fletcher was arrested, according to Schaffer. He was charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with attempting to elude.

• A 30-year-old Chehalis woman said she was reaching for her dog when her vehicle struck a pickup truck parked along the side of the road at East Forest Napavine Road and Forest Lane last night. A deputy responding about 9:45 p.m. allegedly detected an odor of intoxicants on the driver’s breath and conducted a field sobriety test before processing Racheal J. Johnson and booking her into the Lewis County Jail for driving under the influence, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A 23-year-old Chehalis man was arrested for driving under the influence after he lost control of his 2002 Ford Mustang which ended up in a ditch along the 3800 block of Jackson Highway yesterday afternoon. A deputy responding about 4:15 p.m. conducted a field sobriety test and booked Stephan N. Johnson into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He was unhurt but his car sustained major damage, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, trespassing, fourth-degree assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances, misdemeanor theft … and more among 162 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

More than 800 marijuana plants confiscated in rural Chehalis

March 21st, 2018
2018.0321.jianchen0088

Jian Le Chen takes a seat at the defense table in Lewis County Superior Court

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  After several attempts at driving by a rural Chehalis home to catch the scent of marijuana, drug detectives yesterday decided to knock on the front door and ended up seizing hundred of illegal plants and arresting four people.

Twenty-seven-year-old Jian Le Chen was charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with one count of manufacture of marijuana. The other three individuals were released today from the Lewis County Jail pending further investigation

Chen was brought before a judge this afternoon for a bail hearing, but a Cantonese interpreter was unavailable so they rescheduled it for tomorrow afternoon.

Charging documents in the case state that in January, a neighbor off the 300 block of Brockway Road advised a family had purchased the property, were doing lots of construction in a detached shop and they suspected a grow operation there.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detective Matt Schlecht inspected the power records for the property and saw a large increase in the electrical usage, according to Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Joel DeFazio.

Yesterday when Schlecht and other members of the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team, along with a special agent from an unspecified agency, made the decision to conduct a knock and talk at the residence, Schlecht was able to smell the odor of fresh growing marijuana coming from the shop, according to DeFazio.

They spoke with Chen who allegedly told them there were approximately 500 plants inside and that he was not authorized to grow marijuana, the documents relate.

Charging documents go on to offer the following information: A security sweep, for officer safety, was conducted of the house and shop and a male and a female were located. A telephonic search warrant was granted.

Three of the five rooms in the shop contained growing marijuana plants, one room held a cooler with trimmed and dried bud and another room just had growing equipment. A total of 862 plants, including 279 starter plants, were seized.

Also confiscated was the growing equipment and Chen’s mini van.

Chen allegedly stated he was growing the marijuana for someone else, and also that he just grows it for himself because he smokes a little bit and lets the rest sit.

He said he was from China but moved here from New York last year, and the house belonged to his cousin.

Chen is expected to be brought before a judge again in Lewis County Superior Court at 4:15 p.m. tomorrow.

Centralia rape case ends with plea deal

March 21st, 2018
2018.0321.jeremy.francis.0084

Jeremy L. Francis, seated, faces a judge in Lewis County Superior Court

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  A 35-year-old Centralia man arrested in November for rape after an encounter that began as consensual but turned violent was sentenced today to 14 months in prison.

Jeremy L. Francis went before a judge this afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court where his attorney and a deputy prosecutor made the agreed recommendation to the judge. Judge Andrew Toynbee went along with their advice.

Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said the plea deal was made with the approval of the victim. She just wanted to make sure he would have to register as a sex offender, he said.

Francis pleaded guilty last month to third-degree rape. He had been originally charged with second-degree rape.

He was arrested on Nov. 11 after the mother of a 23-year-old woman called 911 to report to Centralia police her daughter had been raped.

Francis was represented by defense attorney Shane O’Rourke. After his release, he will be on community custody for three years.
•••

For background, read “Centralia man charged with rape, held on $100,000 bail” from Tuesday November 14, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

March 21st, 2018
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

BREAK-IN

• A burglary was reported in which a purse and other items were stolen from inside a residence at the 1900 block of Trillium Lane in Centralia at about 9:50 p.m. yesterday, according to the Centralia Police Department.

SHOPLIFTING

• Centralia police were called just before 7:30 p.m. yesterday to the 100 block of Lum Road where  11 jackets worth approximately $3000 were stolen  from a business in the Centralia Outlets by two males. They were last seen fleeing the area in green Honda Accord, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OTHER THEFT

•  A vehicle license tab was stolen sometime between Thursday and Monday at the 2500 block of Eureka Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 10 a.m. yesterday.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police were called about 6:35 a.m. today to the 400 block of East Main Street following the discovery a window was smashed out of a vehicle and it was “keyed” down one side.

• Chehalis police were called about 10:40 a.m. yesterday for malicious mischief at the 500 block of Parkland Drive.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A 17-year-old girl was arrested for driving under the influence after being involved in a collision in which her vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign, struck a parked vehicle in the drive way of a residence, shoving the parked vehicle into a garage causing structural damage at the 1000 block of Elm Street in Centralia last night. The teen was  booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FAILURE TO REGISTER

• The former Green Hill School counselor who was convicted for a sexual relationship with a student-inmate was charged today with failure to register as a sex offender. Erin Stiebritz, 38, had been registering with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and allegedly notified them on March 7 she was moving to Lewis County as of that day, according to charging documents. Detectives tried to contact her on Thursday at her new address, but she was not there. The following day she registered with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, but not within the three-day period required by statute, prosecutors allege. Stiebritz, also then known as Snodgrass, pleaded guilty to first-degree custodial sexual misconduct in mid-2016 for events that occurred two years earlier and was sentenced in Lewis County Superior Court to 14 days in jail plus 46 treatment sessions. A judge today allowed her release pending trial on a $10,000 unsecured bond. The new offense has a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, trespassing, driving under the influence, third-degree theft, violation of no contact order; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, hit and run, suspicious circumstances … and more among 162 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Centralia man rolls out of moving vehicle to escape driver

March 21st, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 44-year-old man wearing body armor was arrested yesterday in Randle after allegedly telling his passenger he was going to run his vehicle into a tree and kill them both.

The 50-year-old victim told deputies that when the car slowed along the 9800 block of U.S. Highway 12, he rolled out, ran for help and called 911.

Deputies called about 1:10 p.m. located the suspect vehicle on the 200 block of Silverbrook Road, but the driver ran off into the trees, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

A Taser was deployed but was ineffective because of the body armor, however, a deputy and a trooper took the suspect to the ground and into custody, Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey said.

John Desmarais, 44, from Goldendale, allegedly tried to stash a small vial of a white powdery substance while enroute to Morton General Hospital, Kimsey said. The substance field-tested positive for amphetamines, Kimsey said.

Kimsey said it’s unclear how the two knew each other, but at one point authorities were told they may have been headed to the Cispus area to camp.

The threat occurred somewhere along U.S. Highway 12 when Desmarais allegedly made statements to his passenger that he was angry about his ex-girlfriend and other things going on his life, that he was going to cut off his hands and crash the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.

The victim is a 50-year-old Centralia man.

Desmarais was booked into the Lewis County Jail for unlawful imprisonment and a violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

He had outstanding warrants from the Yakima area for attempt to elude and from Klickitat for malicious mischief, according to Kimsey.

Centralia gas station targeted with credit card skimmers

March 21st, 2018

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralia police are investigating after credit card skimmers were discovered on two pumps at a local gas station yesterday.

The case is being investigated as possible fraud and theft, but it is unknown if there are victims at this time, according to Officer Angie Humphrey.

Police were called to the Chevron at the 1200 block of Mellen Street just before 12:15 p.m. yesterday when the devices were found by a state inspector.

Humphrey said at this point, they have no idea how long the skimmers were in place. They were on outside pumps, she said.

Police collected the two devices and are contacting a specialized team with the Washington State Crime Laboratory to examine them. She said she doesn’t yet know if credit card information would have been collected remotely or if whoever installed them would have had to physically retrieve the skimmers to get customers’ data.

Humphrey recommends the public to be vigilant with their accounts.

Anyone who detects a false charge should contact their credit card company immediately and also report it to police, she said. Humphrey also advises people to check their credit reports on a routine basis.

The gas station owner is putting extra security measures in place, she said.

The inspector with the weights and measures unit who found the items told Humphrey he has found a couple of other skimmers in Lewis County in the recent past.