Centralia teen escapes stranger in attempted sexual assault

November 8th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  A 16-year-old Centralia girl reported to police last night she was grabbed and pulled into a car by a man who tried to pull her pants off but she fought back and ran home.

It happened near the Centralia sports complex near Pioneer Way and Mount Vista Road, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Police called just after 8 p.m. say the girl said she was being followed by a small dark Nissan-type vehicle and then was confronted by the man. She said she kicked him and escaped and fled to her residence which is a few blocks away, according to police.

Centralia Officer William Phipps said the description of the suspect is a white male in his mid to late 20s, wearing a black beanie and a dark hoodie.

His car was a late 1990s black Nissan, Phipps said.

Police are investigating.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

November 7th, 2017
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•••

Updated

MOTOR AND PUMP TAKEN

• Chehalis police were called about 12:50 p.m. yesterday to the 200 block of Northwest Quincy Avenue to take a report that sometime since Friday night, someone stole a red and white 13 hp engine and its companion hydraulic pump.

AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were called just after 7:30 a.m. today to take a report of the theft of a black 1999 Honda Civic from the 1000 block of West Walnut Street. The car has a license plate reading AQV 9618, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FIREARM MISSING

• Centralia police took a report just before 8 p.m. yesterday from the 600 block of Woodland Avenue that a pistol had been stolen sometime in the previous few months.

BELONGINGS STOLEN

• Police were called about 6:35 p.m. yesterday to take a report that multiple items had been stolen from a female’s home at the 1300 block of Windsor Avenue while she was temporarily evicted because of a protection order. It is not clear who the suspect or suspects might be at this time, according to the Centralia Police Department. The case is under investigation.

ASSAULT

• A 23-year-old man being secured to a gurney in an ambulance last night at the 1300 block of B Street allegedly kicked and spit on a Centralia police officer who was assisting medics. Victor A. Lopez Roman was subsequently arrested for third-degree assault and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called about 10:25 a.m. yesterday to Centralia High School where a boy had allegedly kicked and punched another student. A case for a charge of fourth-degree assault is being referred to prosecutors, according to the Centralia Police Department.

THREAT TO OFFICER

• A homeless man arrested at the Eagle Truck Plaza in Napavine on Friday appeared in Lewis County Superior Court this afternoon, charged with harassment. Lucas M. Fontaine, 28, had reportedly been asked several times to leave, but wouldn’t and when an officer showed up, he allegedly began yelling he was going to get a knife and kill him. His bail was set at $50,000 today.

INDECENT IN PUBLIC

• Centralia police were called just after 7 p.m. yesterday to take a report from a business at the 100 block of West Pine Street that a male had been seen masturbating while walking by. The incident is still under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• A 30-year-old Centralia woman detained for suspected shoplifting yesterday after an approximately 6:25 p.m. call to the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue in Chehalis was arrested for second-degree burglary because she had previously been trespassed from the store, according to the Chehalis Police Department. When Leah M. Vann was being booked at the Lewis County Jail, a substance believed to be heroin was located in her wallet, according to police.

EXCHANGING NAKED PICTURES

• A 20-year-old man was arrested yesterday by Morton police in a case of allegedly exchanging nude photos with a now-15-year-old girl, pictures that date back to 2015. Charging documents in the a case describe Morton Police Chief Roger Morningstar observing Sean R. Butler pull into a parking lot at Gust Backstrom Park and pick up a girl on Oct 23. The chief contacted Butler and the girl was returned to her home, the documents relate. The chief subsequently contacted the girl and her mother, and asked if there was anything inappropriate going on, according to charging documents. The girl reportedly produced pictures and text messages from Facebook and Snapchat of a sexual nature that date back to 2015. Morningstar interviewed Butler on Monday, booked his phone into evidence and him into the Lewis County Jail. Court documents list Butler with a Centralia address. He was charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with second-degree viewing of depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and two counts of communication with a minor for immoral purposes. Judge Joely O’Rourke set his bail at $20,000.

AND MORE FROM MORTON

• Morton police reported they referred a case to prosecutors involving a juvenile for reckless endangerment in connection with an incident on the 1200 block of Main Avenue at about 9 p.m. on Oct. 28. Subjects allegedly threw an object at a moving vehicle and when the driver contacted the three juvenile suspects, the driver felt threatened and drew his firearm. The three youngsters called 911, according to the Morton Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, obstructing, trespassing; responses for alarm, dispute, shoplifting, civil issue, hit and run, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances, protection order violation … and more among 146 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Centralia man in critical condition after assault

November 7th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  A 63-year-old Centralia man is on life support after a punch in the face by an acquaintance and the suspect is jailed, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said this morning the assault occurred on Sunday night at the 3500 block of Harrison Avenue but the victim was not discovered until 8 a.m. yesterday by his roommate.

The victim suffered a broken nose, a bruised eye and potentially then a stroke as the result, Breen said.

He was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and then transferred to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia where he is currently in the critical care unit, Breen said.

Deputies began investigating yesterday afternoon and spoke with the suspect who allegedly admitted to striking his acquaintance.

Mark W. Powell, 46, described as a transient person who lives in the Centralia area, said the 63-year-old had made advances towards Powell’s wife, Breen said.

It happened sometime between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday night, the 63-year-old fell to the floor and the couple left, Breen said. Powell was arrested yesterday for second-degree assault and booked into the Lewis County Jail.

He is tentatively scheduled to be brought before a judge this afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court.

The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

November 6th, 2017
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•••

CREEPY THEFT

• Centralia police were called to Tower Avenue and Main Street about 3:10 p.m. yesterday where a purse was stolen from a vehicle while its owner was asleep inside the vehicle. No arrest had been made as of this morning.

STORAGE UNIT THEFT

• Chehalis police were called about 3:30 p.m. yesterday to the 2100 block of North National Avenue where someone had cut a chain and broke into a storage area to steal an $800 welder (blue Miller brand, MIG/TIG model) and also a Stihl backpack leaf blower.

AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were called just before 5 o’clock this morning to take a report of the theft of a beige 1993 Toyota Camry from the 300 block of South Street. The car has a license plate reading ATT 2012, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A blue 1990 Honda Civic wagon was reported stolen from the 1100 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia just before 8 a.m. yesterday. The four-door car has an Oregon license plate of 715 JER, according to the Centralia Police Department.

LAW ENFORCEMENT: WEDDING RING PAWNED BY HIRED HELP

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning they arrested a woman who worked as a house cleaner who allegedly stole a client’s diamond wedding ring and pawned it. The 76-year-old victim from Onalaska contacted law enforcement on Oct. 24 and the nearly $6,000 ring was recovered the following day at the 500 block of North Market Street in Chehalis, according to the sheriff’s office. Melissa K. Green, 36, of Chehalis, allegedly got about $200 for the ring, according to the sheriff’s office. Green was located on Thursday and booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree theft and for second-degree trafficking in stolen property, Breen said.

MAIL PILFERING

• Centralia police were called about 5:25 p.m. on Saturday to the 200 block of Centralia College Boulevard where a woman reported someone had gotten into her mailbox and opened her mail, leaving some of the empty envelopes behind.

ARRESTED ANYHOW

• Centralia police yesterday arrested a 57-year-old man after discovering he had used his brother’s identity to avoid getting arrested for driving with a suspended license, according to the Centralia Police Department. Robert L. Dunivin Jr., of Centralia, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for identity theft, according to police.

ANIMAL CRIME

• Centralia police on Saturday opened a case of possible animal abuse. They are investigating, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FRAUD

• Centralia police on Friday began investigating suspected theft through fraudulent activity regarding a former employee and a business on the 800 block of North Tower Avenue.

NOT A FREE RIDE

• Centralia police were called to the 200 block of Railroad Avenue at 10 a.m. yesterday after a passenger allegedly rode Amtrak from Kelso without a ticket and refused to leave the train depot after police told her to go. Latrisha B. Seals, 32, a transient person, was arrested for third-degree theft and for first-degree trespassing and then booked into the Lewis County Jail,  according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

• A 35-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for possession of methamphetamine after contact with police about 1:20 a.m. today near Harrison Avenue and Interstate 5, according to the Centralia Police Department. Shyla M. Winterholler had an outstanding warrant and was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• A 43-year-old woman was arrested for a violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act following a traffic stop last night at the 200 block of Second Street in Morton. A deputy pulled over Evette D. Drotar about 10:25 p.m. knowing her license was suspended and she had a warrant, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Items in a piece of foil found in her pocket tested positive for amphetamine, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. Drotar was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

• A 56-year-old Packwood man was arrested after a traffic stop in which a  baggie of suspected methamphetamine was found on the floorboard of his van, on U.S. Highway 12 near Davis Creek Road on Friday. Raymond D. Hill was booked into the Lewis County Jail for a violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors today declined to file the charge.

• Chehalis police were called to the office at W.F. West High School about 8:30 a.m. on Friday where a pair of 16-year-old girls were allegedly in possession of alcohol and/or green vegetable material.

VANDALISM

• Gang-style graffiti was located in the women’s restroom at Centralia High School, according to a report made to Centralia police about 10 a.m. on Friday.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, trespassing, third-degree theft, driving with suspended license, misdemeanor domestic assault, minor in possession of alcohol, driving under the influence, third-degree domestic malicious mischief, operating motor vehicle without required ignition interlock device; responses for alarm, dispute, shoplifting, hit and run, vehicle collision, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances, protection order violation … and more among 406 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Driver found near creek injured, after wreck on bridge

November 6th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  A 68-year-old motorist who struck the side of a bridge was found on a creek bank roughly 20 feet below the bridge near Doty on Saturday night.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched just before 9 p.m. to a single-vehicle accident on Elk Creek Road near Dokter Road and determined the man had been eastbound before the collision, appeared to have exited the passenger side of his vehicle and then fallen to the ground below.

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said the driver, Frank C. Wilson of Chehalis, called a relative who phoned 911. Firefighters and medics responded.

Lewis County Fire District 11 Chief Michael Krafczyk said the guard rail before the bridge did it job, preventing the truck from going over the embankment.

The 1996 GMC Sierra sustained major damage, according to the sheriff’s office.

Krafczyk said the patient couldn’t recall what happened. His family figured he couldn’t have been there more than a half hour, Krafczyk said. Wilson was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital.

A hospital spokesperson said Wilson was treated and has been released.

The sheriff’s office believes he was driving under the influence and are referring the case to prosecutors for charging, Breen said.

Parents in Centralia child neglect case discovered in South Carolina beach motel

November 5th, 2017
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Anthony S. Foxworth Sr. and Mary G. Foxworth are jailed on the East Coast.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The couple who skipped out on their court hearing in which they were to be sentenced for the severe neglect of their teenage son were located yesterday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Anthony S. Foxworth Sr., 45, and Mary G. Foxworth, 43, were taken into custody based on a no-bail warrant issued in Lewis County Superior Court.

The Foxworths pleaded guilty last month to first-degree criminal mistreatment and failed to appear in court on Wednesday afternoon.  They were facing a standard sentencing range of 51 months to 68 months in prison.

Centralia Police Department detective Patty Finch said she got word just before 12:15 p.m. yesterday the couple was in custody.

Officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department contacted the Foxworths at a motel after spotting their green and gray Chevrolet Suburban in the parking lot. An incident report indicates police there had been contacted by investigators from Centralia who passed along information about the general location where they could be found.

They have been booked into jail and presumably will be extradited back to Lewis County.

The Foxworths had been out of custody since the beginning of the case on unsecured bonds.

When the case was first charged in December of last year, the court files for the two showed they resided on South Tower Avenue in Centralia, but Finch said this week police found their home vacant and that Mary Foxworth had been living in an apartment in Olympia.

Centralia police began investigating in January of last year, after couple took their 16-year-old son to the doctor, and he was hospitalized with severe malnutrition, weighing just 54 pounds.

Prosecutors alleged the boy had not seen a doctor since 2007 and had not been enrolled in school since 2011, yet had two siblings who appeared healthy and presented little concern.
•••

For background, read “Parents of mistreated Centralia teen are no shows for sentencing hearing” from Wednesday November 1, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

November 3rd, 2017
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•••

Updated at 5:07 p.m.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• An attempted traffic stop of a car with expired tabs in Chehalis early this morning led to a pursuit that headed down Jackson Highway onto state Route 508 and then onto southbound Interstate 5, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It happened about 3:50 a.m. beginning on Market Boulevard, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. A passenger who allegedly was throwing items out the window got out of the vehicle and ran off around the southbound onramp at milepost 71, Breen said. The sheriff’s office says the car was stopped by a trooper employing a “pursuit immobilization technique” and the driver taken into custody. The 1994 Honda had been stolen out of Kalama, according to Breen. Firefighters were called to the scene near milepost 64 when the car’s engine began smoking and fire broke out in the engine compartment. The driver, Robert A. Wynn, 24, of Kalama, was arrested for attempting to elude and possession of a stolen vehicle. The passenger, Ryan L. Hicks, 24, from Oregon, was located, arrested for being an accomplice and both were booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to Breen.

• A 30-year-old Centralia man was arrested for vehicular assault following the two-vehicle collision at North Pearl and West Third streets in Centralia yesterday morning. Centralia police say Terry J. Burge caused the wreck which caused serious injuries to his passenger and that Burge was suspected to have been driving under the influence of drugs. He, two of his passengers and the driver of the other truck were hospitalized after the approximately 9 a.m. wreck. Burge was subsequently booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

AUTO THEFT

• The owner of a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck called Chehalis police yesterday afternoon to tell them he had parked it the night before at Chehalis Avenue and Prindle Street and it was stolen. The victim said he got a call from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office who found it in a ditch on the 2600 block Jackson Highway, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• Centralia police were called just before 8 p.m. yesterday by an individual who said she had left her vehicle running while she went inside at the 700 block of Harrison Avenue and when she came out a few minutes later, she discovered the vehicle was shut off and the keys missing from the ignition.

• A 30-year-old Centralia resident was arrested yesterday afternoon following an investigation for first-degree theft and first-degree trafficking in stolen property, according to the Centralia Police Department. When Jesika C. Jellison was contacted in the case associated with the 900 block of Harrison Avenue, she allegedly was found with suspected methamphetamine. Jellison was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• A 25-year-old Longview man was arrested yesterday after deputies were called about 1 p.m. to a business on the 100 block of Foster Creek Road in Toledo about a customer trying several different methods of payment using identification cards belonging to different people. Victor H. Bliss was contacted and arrested for multiple warrants, identity theft and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• A backpack was reported stolen about 2:34 p.m. yesterday from the 100 block of South Pearl Street in Centralia.

• Chehalis police called about a shoplifting incident at the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue about 2:30 p.m. yesterday arrested a 75-year-old woman from Rochester who allegedly took merchandise valued at $1.74. Betty J. Manker was arrested for second-degree burglary because she had previously been trespassed from the store, according to the Chehalis Police Department. She was not booked into jail, but the case was forwarded to prosecutors for charging, department spokesperson Linda Bailey said.

• Chehalis police were called about 12:30 p.m. yesterday by a resident who reported someone attempted to charge $600 onto her credit card. She was able to stop the transaction, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

VANDALISM

• An individual reported about 8:15 p.m. yesterday that someone broke the windshield on her vehicle while it was parked at the 500 block of East Main Street.

• Centralia police were called at 8:15 a.m. yesterday regarding a rock thrown through the rear window of a vehicle at the 1100 block of South Pearl Street.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, trespassing, failure to transfer title, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, vehicle collision, disorderly person, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances … and more among 153 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.