Posts Tagged ‘news reporter’

News brief: Chehalis gunshot still death still under investigation

Friday, August 26th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 59-year-old woman found dead in her Chehalis apartment last Friday died from a gunshot wound through her mouth, according to the Lewis County Coroner’s Office.

Chehalis police are continuing to investigate the death, but at this time aren’t looking for a suspect, detective Sgt. Rick McNamara said today. It appears preliminarily to be suicide, he said.

Police are sending the gun off for testing, according to McNamara. They are also still waiting for a report from the coroner following Monday’s autopsy.

Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod said the cause is the gunshot and the determination of the manner of death is pending the results of the police investigation.

Police were called after the woman was found by her husband in the apartment on the 400 block in between Market Boulevard and Pacific Avenue. A handgun was found at the scene, according to McNamara.

News brief: 911 remembrance to be held at fairgrounds

Friday, August 26th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A remembrance ceremony on the 10th anniversary of the events of Sept. 11, 2001 is set to be held at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds.

The 1 p.m. program is being organized by the Lewis County Fallen Heroes Committee and United Way.

Expect a speaker who was present at “ground zero”, pipes and drums and a reading of first responder’s names.

Commemorative T-shirts will be sold to benefit the Fallen Heroes fund, a fund that assists the families of fallen heros in Lewis County and throughout the state, according to United Way Director Debbie Campbell. Donations will be accepted.

The event, and parking, is free.

Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and activities will continue after the program, to include live music.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

CENTRALIA HOME BURGLED WHILE WOMAN SLEEPS

• A woman woke up yesterday morning to find someone had come in her Centralia home overnight and stolen her purse, her car keys and then driven away with her SUV. Also missing from the residence on the 800 block of Park Way was a computer, football gear and other items, according  to the Centralia Police Department.  A door had been left unlocked, Officer John Panco said.The missing 2002 Nissan Xterra was spotted by an officer around 1 p.m. parked on the 400 block of North Buckner Street, Panco said. A man near the vehicle fled on foot as the officer was about to contact him, according to Panco. A 27-year-old man was tracked down and captured about an hour later by a police dog; he was hiding in bushes on the same block, Panco said. A search of a home on the 400 block of North Buckner Street turned up most of the stolen items, police reported. Christopher L. Wessels, listed as transient, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for burglary and vehicle theft, according to police.

AUTO THEFT

• Police were called just before 11 a.m. yesterday about a stolen vehicle from the 900 block of South Pearl Street in Centralia. Missing is a silver 1992 Toyota Forerunner with a license plate of 644 WZQ, according  to the Centralia Police Department. The vehicle has a faded blue stripe running down the side.

DRUGS

• A 34-year-old Centralia man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine last night in Centralia. Christopher A. Snipes was booked into the Lewis County Jail after contact with an officer just before 9 p.m. at East First Street and North Tower Avenue, according to the Centralia Police Department.

News brief: Downtown Toledo business burns overnight

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

An overnight fire in Toledo destroyed a commercial structure owned by one of it’s own volunteer firefighters, according to Chief Grant Wiltbank.

Firefighters were called around 12:30 a.m. to the building on Ramsey Way, next door to the historic buildings that burned on Christmas Day, Wiltbank said.

The chief wasn’t on the scene, but said it was his understanding the building was fully involved in flames when crews arrived. They fought it defensively, meaning they worked simply to keep adjacent structures from catching fire, he said.

One engine remained on the scene this morning, he said.

The business was like a liquidator, he said, and among the items the building contained were like 200 doors, he said.

There’s not word yet as to the cause, he said.

King5.com has video footage of the blaze. See it here

“Real heroes” honored by local Red Cross

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
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Byron Wilson, with his mother Jessica Mullins beside him, is among several local people honored for saving lives.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CENTRALIA – Eleven individuals were honored yesterday for acts that saved a life or made a difference in someone’s life at the Red Cross Real Heroes Breakfast of Lewis County.

The event held annually at Centralia High School is a fundraiser for the American Red Cross Mount Rainier Chapter, meant also to inspire folks to prepare for the unexpected, for example by taking a course in CPR.

A huge audience heard the following stories yesterday:

Lifesaver Rescue Hero
Terry Boyet

Boyet, an off-duty firefighter-paramedic, was with his family at the Tilton River in Morton over the Fourth-of-July holiday when he noticed a teenage boy thrashing in the water as if he were drowning.

A fully clothed Boyet jumped into the river, retrieved the teenager and pushed him toward his parents.

Workplace Safety Heroes
Kristina Maxwell and Nancy Owens

Maxwell, an employee at Thorbeckes Fitlife Center in Centralia and Owens, a nurse, went to the aid of a man who collapsed while working out at the gym in June.

The women performed hands-only CPR for 10 to 15 minutes, for the man was breathing on his own when medics arrived.

Fire Rescue Hero
Byron Wilson

Byron, 4, saw flames smoldering in a crawl space and yelled to wake up eight family members who safely escaped their burning home in Ethel in January.

His shouting alerted his family even before the smoke alarm was triggered.

Spirit of Red Cross Hero
Chief Matt Hadaller

Hadaller exemplifies the award for his contributions to the citizens and the fire service he served for 26 years.

The work of the chief of Lewis County Fire District 3 in Mossyrock was cut short when he suffered a heart attack while at home, on call and died June 27.

Water Rescue Hero
Randy LeDuc

LeDuc was fishing on the Cowlitz River in July of last year when he saw a jet boat that had slammed into a stump and was taking on water.

In the strong current, he steered his boat to the two fisherman and helped free their boat.

Medical Rescue Heroes
Jordan Beaver, Mary Buzzard, Jerry Rader, Wendy Rader

The four were at work at Cardinal Glass in Winlock when a co-worker collapsed in December.

They performed CPR for nearly 10 minutes on George Ruff until paramedics arrived. Today, Ruff is back on the job.

Youth Humanitarian Hero
Nicole Beck

Seventeen-year-old Nicole, diagnosed in February with cancer, was awarded a “wish” from the Make-a-Wish foundation, and gave it away.

The W.F. West High School student is using the money from the foundation to upgrade the six tennis courts at her school.

News brief: Burn ban begins today

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – An outdoor burn ban went into effect in Lewis County at 12:01 a.m. today.

Dry conditions have created what the Lewis County fire marshall calls substantial fire danger throughout the county.

Still allowed are recreational fires in approved campfire sites or approved receptacles, according to the fire marshal. Those with questions can call Fire Marshal Fred Chapman at 360-740-1146.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

INTOXICATED MAN ARRESTED FOR THREATS TO KILL

• A 51-year-old Chehalis man was jailed yesterday after he allegedly made threats to kill his wife – reportedly overheard by a 911 dispatcher – and also the deputy who detained him. The sheriff’s office called just after 9 p.m. yesterday to the 200 block of North Prairie Road in Chehalis arrested Thomas H. Erickson, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said. Because he was intoxicated, he was taken to the hospital to be medically “cleared” before he could be booked into the jail, according to Brown. Along the way, Erickson allegedly told the deputy he knew where the deputy lived and was going to kill him and his family, Brown said. Erickson was reportedly uncooperative and was physically removed from the patrol vehicle and taken into the hospital, Brown said. He was subsequently booked for felony harassment and fourth-degree assault, Brown said.

POLICE: BAND OF BURGLARS CAUGHT ON VIDEO

• Five teenagers were arrested yesterday afternoon on Main Street in Centralia as police investigated burglaries at an unoccupied home on the 1000 block of Eckerson Road in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department. The owner had set up a so-called game cam that captured images of four boys and a girl carrying boxes out yesterday and the day before, according to Officer John Panco. The stolen goods were for a garage sale, Panco said. The faces were recognizable, leading officers to a group of 14 and 15 year olds from Centralia and Chehalis, according to Panco. They were all booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center for burglary, he said.

THEFT

• Centralia police were called about 8 p.m. yesterday to a burglary at a home on the 1000 block of South Tower Avenue. Someone forced their way through the back door and stole CDs and movies, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A deputy was called yesterday morning about stolen custom tools and a remote control for a rock crusher near Scanewa Lake south of Glenoma and Randle. The victim told a deputy the Komatsu machine was parked off Forest Service 240 Road off Falls Road and the items from its toolbox vanished sometime since Thursday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The tools are steel and heavy, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown. The loss is roughly estimated at $5,000.

• Tools were taken when a shop was broken into at the 1000 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia, police were told about 8:30 p.m. yesterday.

• Chehalis police were called about 1:30 p.m. yesterday to the 300 block of South Market Boulevard about a chop saw stolen from the back of a truck.

• Police were called about 4:15 p.m. yesterday to a parking lot on the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue in Chehalis where a purse had been taken from a vehicle.

DRUGS

• A 20-year-old Rochester resident was arrested for possession of methamphetamine about 1 p.m. yesterday at the 2000 block of North Pearl Street, according to Centralia police. Jesse A. Ruege was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CENTRALIA BUSINESS SHOT UP WITH BBs

• Police were called to a business on the 100 block of Pine Street in Centralia yesterday morning where eight windows had been shot with BBs.

BIG RIG WRECKS ON I-5 NEAR VADER

• The Washington State Patrol said a semi truck was totaled when it struck an overpass on northbound Interstate 5 near Vader yesterday. Troopers called at 3 p.m. to the scene near milepost 60 reported the driver appeared to have no injuries, but was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital as a precautionary measure. The crash was blamed on inattention.