John A. Booth Jr., right, waits with his attorney Roger Hunko, for potential jurors to arrive in the courtroom.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Attorneys are still questioning potential jurors for the trial of John A. Booth Jr. in Lewis County Superior Court.
More later
CAR PROWL
• Police were called to the 800 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia yesterday morning about a vehicle prowl. Someone pried open a window and stole an iPod and CDs, according to the Centralia Police Department.
John A. Booth Jr., far right, stands behind his attorney Roger Hunko, as prosecutors and the judge discuss jury selection.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The top floor of the Lewis County courthouse was packed today with about twice as many potential jurors as usual in the attempt to seat a panel for a triple-murder trial that has seen extensive coverage in the news media for more than a year.
Former Onalaskan John A. Booth Jr. for the first time today shed his red and white striped jail garb and appeared in a navy jacket, slacks and a tie for the proceedings in Chehalis.
Booth, 32, is charged with murder and other offenses related to the August 2010 gunshot deaths in Salkum of David West Sr. 52, West’s 16-year-old son David West Jr. and a friend Tony E. Williams, 50, of Randle. He is also charged with attempted murder of West Sr.’s girlfriend, Denise Salts, then 51 years old.
The potential jurors were pared from 170 down to 77 by the end of today. Lewis County Superior Court Judge Richard Brosey told those remaining he thought jury selection was about halfway finished when he sent them home for the day.
Brosey warned them not talk about the case, read about the case or do any research on the Internet about it.
“Don’t do any “tweets”, don’t do any blogs, none of that ” Brosey said.
Booth’s lawyer, Roger Hunko of Port Orchard, had unsuccessfully attempted to get the trial moved to another county, citing extensive pre-trial publicity.
While a large number of potential jurors were excused citing work conflict issues with a trial the judge said could go until the end of next week, most of the courtroom time today was spent on individual voire dire.
About 28 individuals wrote in a questionnaire they had heard or read about the case and already formed an opinion.
They were brought into the courtroom one at a time so attorneys could inquire further, without having other potential jurors hearing any of the details they might bring up.
Nearly all of them were excused.
Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher is handling the case, with assistance from Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead.
Prosecutors have alleged Booth and Ryan J. McCarthy visited the house on Wings Way in connection with collecting money for drug debts or a “perceived” debt owed to Robert “Robbie” S. Russell. One of the victims, West Sr. was a witness in a pending case against Russell.
The victims were all shot in the head.
McCarthy, 30, was sentenced in September to a little more than 14 years for his role following an Alford plea deal. Russell, early on named a person-of-interest in the triple homicide, was not charged in the case, but was sent to prison following unrelated convictions.
Booth is charged with:
• Second-degree murder in the death of David West Sr., while armed with a firearm.
• First-degree murder, premeditated, in the death of David West Jr., while armed with a firearm, and demonstrating an egregious lack of remorse.
• First-degree murder, premeditated, in the death of Tony E. Williams, while armed with a firearm, and demonstrating an egregious lack of remorse.
• Attempted first-degree murder, premeditated, in regard to Denise Salts, while armed with a firearm.
• Attempted extortion of David West Sr. between Aug 8 and Aug, 21, 2010.
• First-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
•••
Correction: This news story has been updated to reflect Ryan McCarthy’s correct age.
•••
Read background on the case:
• “West Sr. pointed shotgun telling pair of ex-cons to leave his house, triggering triple homicide, unsealed court documents allege” from Saturday Sept. 4, 2010 here
• “Unsealed document: More details on Salkum slayings” from Monday Sept. 6, 2010 here
Updated at 12:40 p.m.
BASEBALL BATS VERSUS CAR
• Centralia police were called about 4:30 p.m. yesterday to the 400 block of North Ash Street where four men allegedly were using baseball bats to break most if not all the windows out of a car, according to the Centralia Police Department. Police were told the subjects were “gangsters”, and that an earlier confrontation led to the vandalism, according to Sgt. Kurt Reichert. The owner of the Kia is a 22-year-old Chehalis woman, Reichert said. They reportedly “stomped” dents into the side of the car and smashed an apartment window as well. Officers following up on information then arrested four men for first-degree malicious mischief and booked them into the Lewis County Jail. They are: Ruben A. Palomares, 26, of Tenino; Angel F. Velasquez, 29, Andrez Velasquez, 19, and Jose A. Velasquez, 18, all of Centralia. Reichert said it was not clear what the earlier issue was about.
BAR ASSAULT
• A 39-year-old man was arrested for second-degree assault after an incident at a Chehalis drinking establishment over the weekend in which another patron ended up with an injury to the back of his head. Officers were called about 12:10 a.m. on Sunday to Paradise on the 300 block of Northwest Chehalis Avenue and found the victim, a 25-year-old Chehalis man bleeding from the head, according to police. Aid was summoned but the victim was taken to the hospital by friends, according to Deputy Chief Randy Kaut. A suspect was subsequently detained by police in downtown Winlock, Kaut said. John I. Burkett, 39, of Winlock, was booked into the Lewis County Jail.
THEFT
• Centralia police on Sunday said they arrested a 20-year-old Centralia man overnight in connection with the knifepoint robbery of a woman in her driveway the 1000 block of Alder Street from late October. Robert Y. Bezhenar, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• Police took a report early Sunday morning of a residential burglary at the 1100 block of L Street in Centralia. There are no suspects, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• A coin machine and change was stolen from a laundry facility at the Frost Road Trailer Park in Winlock sometime between 8 p.m. Friday and 2 a.m. on Saturday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The loss is estimated at $175.
• Police were called to 1100 block of F Street in Centralia on Friday morning about the theft of money and medication from a home.
• A stolen vehicle from the Seattle area was recovered on the 100 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia on Friday evening, according to police. It was found unoccupied and parked, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• Police were called to Southwest Fifth Street in Chehalis where an individual said they heard the sound of a vehicle window being broken out and then saw someone running away about 3 to 4 a.m. on Friday, according to the Chehalis Police Department. It appeared to be an attempted vehicle prowl, police said.
DRUGS
• A 56-year-old Centralia man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine early Saturday morning following a traffic stop on the 100 block of Sawall Avenue in Centralia. A deputy found Aaron W. Martin was driving with a suspended license and a search of him turned up suspected methamphetamine, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He was was booked into the Lewis County Jail, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.
• Police arrested a 26-year-old Centralia resident just before midnight on Friday at the 1600 block of Windsor Avenue in Centralia for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Alejandro Garcia was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• A 22-year-old Centralia man was arrested about 10:15 p.m. Friday at South Tower Avenue and East Locust Street in Centralia for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Leonardo Carriera Larios was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
WRECK
• A 16-year-old Winlock girl reportedly escaped injury when she totaled her car late yesterday afternoon when trying to avoid an object in the roadway, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy reported the 1998 Toyota Corrola rolled down an embankment on the 1300 block of King Road and landed on its wheels, the sheriff’s office said.
LARGE GARAGE BURNS IN SILVER CREEK
• Firefighters this morning were still putting out hot spots following a fire in Silver Creek that erupted last night. Lewis County Fire Districts 8 and 3 responded about 10:50 p.m. to a burning large garage on the 2800 block of U.S. Highway 12, District 8 Assistant Chief Don Taylor said. When they arrived, flames were reaching 25 to 30 feet into the sky and the building was in the first stages of collapse, he said. Nobody was hurt. Taylor said the owners lost a Harley motorcycle and tools; he believed the owner ran some type of a business out of the building, he said. The cause is under investigation.
Updated at 11:28 a.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 43-year-old man from Rochester is dead and a Chehalis teenager was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 12 in Rochester Friday night.
Troopers were called about 7:40 p.m. to the wreck near Denmark Street Southwest, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Mark D. Stone, 43, of Rochester, was eastbound when his Ford Windstar van struck a guardrail on the right and then crossed into the oncoming lane and ran into a car carrying three individuals, according to the state patrol.
The driver of the Oldsmobile Alero, Carmon L. Gillaspie, 19, of Chehalis, was flown to the Seattle hospital. Two of her passengers were injured and transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, the state patrol reported.
They are: Trevor R. Duncanhostick, 23, of Oakville and Vincent R. Thorp, 19, of Walla Walla, according to the patrol.
Both vehicles were described as totaled. The roadway was blocked until just before 10 p.m.
The cause of the collision is under investigation.
Update Monday December 5, 2011 at 9:05 a.m.: Gillaspie is listed in serious condition in the intensive care unit this morning.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Attorneys confirmed with a judge this afternoon the triple murder trial for former Onalaskan John A. Booth Jr. is a go for next week.
John A. Booth Jr.
Booth, 32, is charged with murder and other offenses related to the August 2010 gunshot deaths of two men and a teenage boy inside a Salkum-Onalaska area home. Booth is also charged with attempted murder of a woman in the same house the same night.
Jury selection in Lewis County Superior Court is expected to begin at 9:30 on Monday, Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said today.
Opening statements by the lawyers may not occur until Tuesday, Meagher said.
The judge has said he thought the trial might last a week to 10 days.
Prosecutors allege Booth and Ryan J. McCarthy visited the house on Wings Way in connection with collecting money for drug debts or a “perceived” debt owed to Robert “Robbie” S. Russell. One of the victims, David West Sr. 52, was a witness in a pending case against Russell.
Also shot dead were David West Jr., 16, and a friend Tony E. Williams, 50, of Randle. Denise Salts, then 51, survived a gunshot wound to her face.
McCarthy, 32, was sentenced in September to a little more than 14 years for his role in the case following a plea deal.
•••
Read “Court hearing reveals more details about Salkum triple slaying” from Saturday Oct. 1, 2011, here
ONALASKA RESIDENT RECOVERS STOLEN MOWER
• A 71-year-old Onalaska man got his stolen riding lawnmower back yesterday after he tracked down someone selling it the Internet on Craigslist. The victim had reported the theft earlier this month and began checking the online classified advertising website regularly hoping it might turn up, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The man and sheriff’s detectives conducted a ruse in which a detective posed as the victim’s grandson who needed to replace his grandfather’s mower and met the seller in Olympia yesterday, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said this morning. Detectives then arrested Jonathan M. McClain, 23, of Olympia, for first-degree trafficking in stolen property, Brown said. McClain was booked into the Lewis County Jail.
“OUT-OF-CONTROL” MAN ARRESTED IN CENTRALIA
• Police say a 30-year-old Centralia man tried to start a fight with several people and then broke the window out of a van at the 500 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia around noontime yesterday. Ronald J. Jennings was arrested for disorderly conduct as well as third-degree malicious mischief and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.
MAN ARRESTED FOR SLAPPING CHILD
• A 29-year-old Bucoda man was arrested for misdemeanor assault after he was observed slapping a 4-year-old boy inside a vehicle in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Chehalis yesterday. Officers called about 12:45 p.m. arrested Aaron B. Chilson and then released him, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The child was turned over to his mother, according to the police department.
WRECK
• A 17-year-old driver lost control of his vehicle on South Schueber Road in Chehalis yesterday afternoon, spinning it into a ditch where it struck a tree and rolled onto its top, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The 17-year-old’s 1999 Ford Ranger was totaled and the teen was cited for driving with no insurance, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. It happened about 2:20 p.m., Brown said. The extent of his injuries was unavailable.
CHIMNEY FIRE
• Firefighters called to a house on the 100 block of East High Street in Centralia yesterday evening found fire in the wall space behind a wood stove chimney and had to remove portions of the structure to make sure it was completely extinguished. The resident had just returned home and was alerted by a smoke detector, Riverside Fire Authority Capt. Erik Olson said. Olson estimated the damage at perhaps more than $20,000. The cause appeared to be faulty installation from long ago, Olson said.
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