Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

July 15th, 2012

FIREWORKS GO OFF INSIDE VEHICLE

• Centralia police say a juvenile was arrested yesterday afternoon after he allegedly lit a bottle rocket and tossed it into the backseat of a vehicle in connection with an address on the 100 block of East Bridge Street.

HIT AND RUN TO GAS PUMP

• Centralia police were contacted just before 11 a.m. yesterday about a vehicle that struck a gas pump and then left at the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue. Riverside Fire Authority said it caused a small leak.

THEFT

• Centralia police took a report about 11:20 p.m. yesterday that foreign currency was stolen from a residence on the 1400 block of View Avenue. Missing are about 70 Euro and 60 “Kroation” dollars, as well as several watches, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police reported this morning that several “swards” were stolen from a residence on the 400 block of South Silver Street while the owner was out.

• Tools were stolen from a shop on the 2500 block of Howard Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police Friday afternoon.

• Four individuals were arrested for occupying an unfit building after police found them at the 700 block of West Main Street in Centralia on Friday evening. Among them: Shannon R. West, 29, of Ethel; Briana L. Corrothers, 22, of Centralia and Darcie N. Negrete, 20, of Centralia. Ruslan Y. Bezhenar, 33, of Centralia, was also arrested and booked for felony harassment and intimidating a public servant, according to the Centralia Police Department. They were caught after a witness spotted an individual climbing a water drain to get inside the building, according to police.

CENTRALIA MAN PICKED UP FOR IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES

• Centralia police said a 22-year-old Centralia resident was arrested about 7:40 a.m. yesterday at state Route 507 and Big Hanaford Road for an “immigration hold.” Cesar Galvin-Venegas was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Guest column: Gratitude overflows in time of sorrow

July 14th, 2012

By Michelle Matchett
Boistfort Valley resident

Hello. My name is Michelle Matchett.

My son Nicholas Matchett drowned in the Chehalis River on May 4th.

I want to thank everyone for helping us during this time of great loss and being here for my daughter Alex and myself.

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Michelle Matchett

Thank you for the cards, flowers, letters and donations to help with expenses.

Thank you all for being there to hold me up.

Thank you to the Boistfort school staff and students for the letters and memories they shared to me and the celebration of his life they held for us.

Thank you Pastor Rex and Gayle from the Boistfort Community Church for reaching out to us.

Thank you to Jerred and Melissa Hunt for the most heartfelt beautiful service for Nicholas.

Thank you to Lewis County Search and Rescue, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Ronnie at CPS and all the medical personnel who tried to revive Nicky when they found him.

Thank you Joy, Faye and Tammy for going to the funeral home and helping me plan the services; I would have been completely lost.

Thank you to my entire Home Depot family, store manager James, Desi, Bob, Jim, Ron, Jerry, Emily, Zach, David, Barb, Melissa, Joy, Faye, Duane, Renae … thank you all.

Thank you to my neighbors Starla and Bruce, Cathy and Terry.

Thank you to Jeff at Cattermole Funeral Home for his knowledge and care he gave to helping with the funeral arrangements for Nicky.

Thank you to Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod and his staff for the priceless gift of the last footprints of Nicky on paper; framed with loving care hand delivered to me. Thank you for treating him as a person, thank you for telling me you would never forget him.

I cried the entire time writing this, there is no way that I can mention everyone that has touch us and helped us. It hurts so much losing my father and son in one month and words are hard to come up with.

Thank you all and God bless you and your families.

Michelle

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Nicholas Matchett, 2004 - 2012

•••

For background, read:

• “Breaking news: Child drowns in Chehalis River” from Friday May 4, 2012 at 7:38 p.m., here

• “Celebration of life set for 8-year-old Boistfort student who drowned” from Monday May 7, 2012 at 8:09 p.m., here

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

July 13th, 2012

Updated

KIDS LOCK SELVES IN BEDROOM DURING BREAK-IN

• Deputies were called to a home south of Adna yesterday when someone broke into a house where three children were home alone. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said a 13-year-old boy babysitting his two younger siblings led the children into a bedroom, locked the door and called his mother who phoned 911 about 12:35 p.m. Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said the children had seen a red van and a man in the driveway and then heard banging and slamming on the door. Their dog was barking, the teen heard footsteps inside the house, Brown said. It was on the 200 block of Penning Road. They never actually encountered each other and for whatever reason, the intruder left, according to Brown. An arriving deputy stopped a red van on the 100 block of Penning Road and found a woman with a crowbar, according to the sheriff’s office. The house was cleared and the children found safe and unharmed. A dog track was conducted, but no one else was located. A door to the home had been forced open and nothing initially appeared to be missing, according to Brown. Deputies suspect it may be the same red van seen at a home burglary on the 200 block of Brockway Road in Adna earlier this week, she said. Darlene J. Lockard, 50, of Olympia, was arrested for attempted residential burglary, as well as possession of methamphetamine and a pipe, according to the sheriff’s office. She was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

RV PARK RESIDENT: WOKE UP TO MAN SITTING ON BED

• Deputies and troopers responded about 8:15 p.m. yesterday to the 2900 block of U.S. Highway 12 in Silver Creek to reports of a man carrying a large knife walking through an RV park, making threats and claiming hundreds of people were after him. Clarence R. Coleman, 60, of Silver Creek, was taken into custody, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. One couple said they had awoken that morning and found Coleman sitting on their bed mumbling about people trying to get him, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. Coleman was arrested for brandishing a weapon and first-degree trespass and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office. He denied entering anyone’s trailer, Brown said.

UNCOOPERATIVE MAN WITH KNIFE

• Centralia police called to an address on the 1300 block of Logan Street last night about an individual banging on doors and trying to get in found a man outside with a cut on his arm and the bloody tip of a knife sticking out of his pocket, according to the Centralia Police Department. Sgt. Stacy Denham said they ended up using their Taser on him because he wouldn’t obey officers who tried to detain him. Denham said he didn’t know if the people inside knew Hever Rodan Escalante or not. The 26-year-old Escalante, who must have only cut himself, was arrested and booked for obstructing a public servant, according to Denham.

ONLINE TRICKSTER TAKES ONALASKA RESIDENT FOR OVER $2,000

• A 27-year-old Onalaska man was ripped off in a classic scam in which a buyer he met online claimed he accidentally paid with a check written for too much money and asked the seller to wire him the difference. Of course the check turns out to be bad. A deputy contacted the victim on Wednesday who said he’d sold a motor for $500 through Craigslist and the purchaser sent him a check for $2,800, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The buyer then told him his secretary mistakenly filled in the wrong amount, according to the sheriff’s office. The victim said his account showed the check cleared on July 7 and the following day he wired the difference to Kentucky, to the man who called himself Steven Mack, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. On Wednesday however, the victim learned the check had been written on a closed account, Brown said. The engine, however, never got shipped to the buyer.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSAULT

• Police were called just before 3 o’clock this morning to the 100 block of Cedar Street in Centralia where a 40-year-old man allegedly choked his girlfriend during an altercation. Michael Watkins, 40, of Centralia was arrested for second-degree assault and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

MOTORIST PROPOSITIONS PANHANDLER

• Police were called about 11:35 a.m. yesterday to the off ramp at Interstate 5 and Harrision Avenue in Centralia when a man held out a dollar to a woman there asking for money, propositioned her and was exposing himself, according to the Centralia Police Department.

STOLEN VEHICLE FOUND

• A truck reported stolen in Thurston County a week ago was found yesterday parked and unoccupied at the 700 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia.

DRUGS

• Two individuals were arrested about 11 a.m. yesterday at a motel on the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue in Chehalis, one for warrants and both for drugs, according to police. Centralia police say Kari N. Driver, 24, of Chehalis was arrested for possession of heroin and Ryan L. Lester, 32, of Rochester, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and multiple warrants.

GAS CAN DRAGGED BENEATH CAR

• A woman traveling down Interstate 5 through Chehalis yesterday afternoon ran over a gas can laying on the road which was left wedged in the undercarriage of her car, according to Lewis County Fire District 6. Firefighters stood by where she pulled over near milepost 75, and a tow truck lifted the vehicle, Firefighter Mike Goodwillie said. His partner used a tool to retrieve the can which Goodwillie was told had been full when she hit it, but lost its contents as it was dragged.

GRASS FIRE

• A spark from a golf cart being driven by kids ignited a grass fire on the 3000 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia yesterday. Firefighters called about 4 p.m. found the dad using a garden hose, according to Riverside Fire Authority Capt. Ken Colombo. It spread to about 50 feet by 100 feet and was extinguished by the fire department, Colombo said. The long grass has been cut but the died clippings still lay on the ground, according to the fire captain.

CAR VERSUS BIKE

• Police and aid were called about 3:45 p.m. yesterday to an incident in Centralia where the license plate on a car pulling out of an alley slashed the ankle of a woman passing on a bicycle. It happened near West Main Street and Tower Avenue. The 22-year-old was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to Riverside Fire Authority. The driver was not cited, police noted.

TWO HOSPITALIZED AFTER OFF-ROAD ACCIDENT

• A 47-year-old man was flown by helicopter to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with a punctured lung after a dune buggy type vehicle wrecked in Randle last night. The driver was taken to Morton General Hospital with multiple bruises, according to the Washington State Patrol. Troopers called about 9:30 p.m. to a hay field off the 1000 block of Cline Road learned the Polaris ORV rolled onto its side after striking a pothole. The passenger, James E. Townsend, 47, of North bend, was ejected, according to the state patrol. The driver was Dean A. Roberts, 50, of Mount Vernon.

FIRE BREAKS OUT, BURNS OUT IN BOISTFORT HOME

• The cause of a fire that consumed an entire room in a Boistfort area home is under investigation. A resident of the 400 block of Moon Hill Road arrived home, opened the door to the single-wide mobile home and saw smoke, according to Lewis County Fire District 13. He closed the door and called 911, Fire Chief Gregg Peterson said. When the fire department arrived, however, while the room used for storage was charred, it had burned itself out, he said. It happened on Wednesday evening while the residents were away for a few hours. Peterson said smoke caused damage through the rest of the home.

Defendant in Centralia toddler death by abuse case pleads not guilty

July 12th, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – James M. Reeder pleaded not guilty today in the case involving the death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter.

Six times he answered not guilty while staring at the table in front of him in Judge Richard Brosey’s courtroom in Lewis County Superior Court.

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James M. Reeder

Reeder, 25, is charged with homicide by abuse, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of first-degree child rape and possession of methamphetamine.

Koralynn Fister died May 24.

She was pronounced dead at the hospital after Reeder carried the naked and unbreathing child to neighbors across the street from her house, saying he found her face down in the bathtub.

He was watching her while the mother and her 4-year-old daughter were away from their Centralia home, according to police.

Authorities said they found numerous injuries, some in more advanced stages of healing than others. The coroner says she died from head trauma and drowning.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer has described the crime of homicide by abuse as repeated assaults or torture that ends in the death of a child. It carries the same possible penalty as murder.

Each of the charges carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, except the drug charge. Prosecutors added the aggravating circumstances of abusing a position of trust with a particularly vulnerable victim.

Reeder’s arraignment was delayed because he was sent to Western State Hospital to be evaluated to determine if he was competent  to stand trial and assist his lawyer in their defense.

The Centralia resident who worked as a flooring installer until about a year ago was separated from his wife and living with Koralynn’s mother. He has no felony criminal history.

He is expected back in court next Thursday to set a trial date.

•••

For background, read “Mental evaluation: Suspect in death, rape of Centralia toddler found competent for trial” from Tuesday July 10, 2012, here

News brief: Van versus motorcycle wreck leaves two with broken legs

July 12th, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A couple from Yakima County were airlifted after their motorcycle collided with a van this afternoon on U.S. Highway 12 in Ethel.

Aid and troopers were called about 3:25 p.m. to the intersection at Leonard Road found the Harley Davidson upside down in the ditch as well as its riders, according to responders.

Randy Gomez, 51, had a broken leg; Irene Gomez, 50, had two broken legs, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Lewis County Fire District 8 Chief Duran McDaniel said they called for LifeFlight because they were open fractures.

The Gomezs, from Moxee, were headed west when an eastbound van made a left turn in front of them, according to the state patrol.

The driver of the Mercury Villager, Beverly Overbay, 70, from Mossyrock, was reportedly uninjured.

Both vehicles were described as totaled.

Randy Gomez was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle; Irene Gomez was flown to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Wash., the state patrol reported.

Missing manhole cover trips blind man

July 12th, 2012
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The pit along Southwest 11th Street is covered by plywood today, but it was open last night.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A blind man walking to the grocery store to buy milk dropped into a brick-lined pit of an uncovered storm drain in Chehalis last night.

Police and aid called about 11:30 p.m. to the corner of Southwest 11th Street at Market Boulevard found 42-year-old Tim Franklin just pulling himself out.

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Tim Franklin

He said he was stuck down there about five minutes.

“I stepped into it, went forward and smacked my head on the other side,” Franklin said.

It was only chest-deep, but one of his feet got wedged in a small pipe about halfway down, he said.

“There I was, I was yelling,” Franklin said. “Not for help, I was cussin’.”

Franklin, who uses a white cane to make his way around town, was more annoyed than he was hurt. Today however, the brim of his hat hid a purplish-red scuff mark on his forehead.

“You know, I never go on this side of the sidewalk, he said.

A woman across 11th Street who heard him and called 911 told him it’s been uncovered for about three days, he said.

“Why would they leave it this way,” he said. “I’m pissed.”

The opening – on the shoulder next to the sidewalk – is about three feet long by two feet wide. A shallow stream of water trickled across the bottom of it this afternoon.

A piece of plywood and orange cones set atop it now.

The cover that belongs over it is more like a grate, according to Chehalis Fire Department Capt. Kevin Curfman. He said he was told by the street department it keeps getting stolen.

“(They’re) gonna have to figure out how to bolt it down or something,” Curfman said.

Franklin declined to go to the hospital, a paramedic checked his neck, he said.

The Chehalis man says he’s not immune to accidents because of his lack of sight. A hereditary condition gradually took his vision until it was entirely gone at age 30, he said.

Four or five years ago he fell at Stan Hedwall Park and broke his ankle, he said.

The ankle is sore, he said today. He planned to have his doctor check it, his hip and his head, he said.

Last night, after the nice paramedic was done with him, he nixed the trip to Safeway and limped the 13 blocks back home, he said.

“They didn’t offer me a ride home,” he said.

News brief: Judge to decide if B Street murder defendant competent for trial

July 12th, 2012

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – One expert says he is competent to stand trial and another expert says he is not.

Centralia resident Weston G. Miller, 30, is charged with first-degree murder in the March shooting death of his house guest, 43-year-old David Wayne Carson.

Miller told police he acted in self-defense, but Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer has said it was unprovoked attack in his house on B Street.

The former welder was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, after police searched the home and found five guns, a silencer, a laser site for a gun and a bullet-proof vest.

Miller appeared briefly in Lewis County Superior Court this morning when lawyers scheduled a half-day hearing for next month.

Meyer said an evaluation conducted by Western State Hospital concluded Miller is competent and a defense expert concluded he is not.

A judge will hear from both sides on August 15 and make a decision, according to Meyer.

Carson, a Centralia resident who had just signed up for college and was going to learn to fly so he could go work in Alaska, died of two gunshot wounds to his chest area on March 13.
•••

For background, read “B Street homicide: Defendant says self defense” from Wednesday March 14, 2012, here