Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

October 24th, 2017
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PE ELL FIRE INVESTIGATION

• A fire that damaged a house and a recreational vehicle in Pe Ell this weekend remains under investigation. Firefighters called just after 3 o’clock on Saturday morning to the Central Avenue blaze found the RV that caught fire was parked right next to the home and then flames spread into the eaves and attic, according to fire investigator Ted McCarty. Nobody was hurt, McCarty said.

THEFT

• Chehalis police were called at 6:04 a.m. today for a burglary or theft at the 300 block of South Market Boulevard. Further details were unavailable.

• Centralia police were called at 1:05 p.m. yesterday to the 1300 block of Lum Road where a male was reported to have stolen several coats. No arrest was made, according to the Centralia Police Department.

INJURY

• Medics and police were called to a report of a head injury at a drinking establishment at the 500 block of Northwest Pacific Avenue in Chehalis at 11:18 a.m. yesterday. Further details were unavailable.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, trespassing, probation violation, misdemeanor domestic assault, protection order violation, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vehicle collision, hit and run, suspicious circumstances … and more among 137 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

October 23rd, 2017
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Updated at 6:19 p.m.

TOLEDO PEDESTRIAN SERIOUSLY INJURED

• A 32-year-old Toledo man was airlifted from Providence Centralia Hospital to St. Joseph Hospital in Tacoma with a possible head injury after an encounter with a pickup truck early Sunday morning at the 100 block of Mulford Road near Vader. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the circumstances of what occurred. Deputies responding about 1:30 a.m. yesterday learned the victim had opened the passenger door of the Chevrolet S110 pickup in which his significant other was a passenger and the truck sped away, but when it stopped about 200 feet later, witnesses saw the victim was laying on his back unconscious, according to the sheriff’s office. Witnesses didn’t see how he ended up on the ground though, according to Chief Deputy Dusty Breen. Breen said the truck was being driven by a 50-year-old Vader man and deputies were told the victim and his significant other had been recently going through relationship “issues.”

BURGLARY

• Two boys questioned after a residence was ransacked on the 600 block of B Street in Vader yesterday reportedly said they thought the house was abandoned and it was okay to go inside, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Friends of the 27-year-old homeowner had arrived about 2 p.m. and found items damaged, including two televisions and a glass table top, and items missing, such as a paint sprayer, according to the sheriff’s office. A neighbor reported seeing two young people riding away on bicycles, pulling a wagon between about 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. The total loss is more than $1,000, Breen said. The suspects are Vader residents, ages 10 and 14, according to Breen. The case will be forwarded to prosecutors for evaluation of charges of second-degree burglary.

• An apartment on the 700 block of North Pearl Street in Centralia was broken into overnight, according to a report made to police about 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

YARD THEFT

• Centralia police were called just before 11 a.m. yesterday following the discovery a a hot tub cover had been stolen during the night from a fenced yard on the 2200 block of North Tower Avenue.

BUSINESS BREAK-IN

• Chehalis police were called about 7:10 a.m. on Sunday by someone who found the front door to a business pried open at the 300 block of Northwest Chehalis Avenue. Nobody was inside and nothing appeared to be missing, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were contacted just after 1 p.m. yesterday regarding a green 1996 Honda Accord stolen from the 200 block of West Plum Street. It was recovered later in the day in Tumwater, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police were called about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday after a white 2001 Harley Davidson Fat Boy Softail motorcycle was stolen from the 2400 block of Seward Avenue in Centralia.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police were called about 6:35 a.m. today to the 1000 block of H Street to take a report that sometime during the night someone stole vehicle batteries, damaging the cables.

• An air compressor and staple gun were stolen from a vehicle on the 1800 block of North Pearl Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 4:25 a.m. today.

• Centralia police were called about a vehicle prowl at the 200 block of South Silver Street about 9:40 a.m. on Friday. A back pack and money were stolen during the night, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FAKE MONEY

• Chehalis police were called to the 1600 Block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue about 12:30 p.m. yesterday following the discovery of three counterfeit $50 bills.

VANDALISM

• Chehalis police were called just before 11 a.m. on Friday by an individual who reported they were following a group of teens who smashed pumpkins at Eighth Street and Cascade Avenue in Chehalis.

OTHER INCIDENTS

• A 55-year-old homeless man was arrested for interfering with a healthcare facility after police were called just before 3 a.m. on Saturday to the 900 block of South Scheuber Road. Randy W. Hausinger was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called to Green Hill School on the 300 block of Southwest 11th Street about 11:40 a.m. on Friday to take a report that an 18-year-old student-inmate had allegedly taken a swing at an employee after taking an item off a food cart when he was not supposed to, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

DRUGS

• A 24-year-old Centralia woman was arrested for an outstanding warrant and then for possession of methamphetamine following contact with police about 5:30 a.m. yesterday at the 1200 block of Alder Street in Centralia. Briget J. Parker, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 22-year-old Yelm resident was arrested for theft and possession of methamphetamine after neighbors at the 1100 block of Highway 603 witnessed a Mongoose XR250 bike being stolen about 3:30 p.m. on Friday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies located a suspect, Michael D. Seidel, and booked him in to the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A traffic stop of an erratic vehicle at the northbound Interstate 5 exit 77 off ramp about 4:45 a.m. on Friday led to the arrest of two people for outstanding warrants and possession of heroin, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Booked into the Lewis County Jail were  Brian L. West, 33, of Lacey and Jamie L. Chesterfield, 24, of Yelm, according to the sheriff’s office. A case for possession of a dangerous weapon is being referred to prosecutors in connection with West, because of a spring-blade knife that was found, Chief Deputy Breen said.

CAR CATCHES FIRE

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a suspicious vehicle fire that occurred about 5:20 a.m. on Saturday at the 900 block of Muller Road near Pe Ell. Deputies arriving about 6:30 a.m. were told the property owner heard a loud bang, looked outside and saw the car burning, according to the sheriff’s office. The 2007 Dodge Caliber being stored there for a 70-year-old man who moved to Kansas, had not run in about two years and did not have a working battery, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• The driver was injured and a pickup truck sustained heavy damage when it traveled off the 200 block of Wigley Road in Centralia and into a power pole and then a small tree yesterday afternoon. Firefighters and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched about 4:35 p.m. Bystanders had helped the driver out and AMR transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to Riverside Fire Authority. The extent of injuries was unknown, Capt. Erik Olson stated.

• A 29-year-old driver was injured when her car crossed over the oncoming lane and into an earthen bank on state Route 7 about 10 miles north of Morton on Saturday afternoon, according to the Washington State Patrol. The 2015 Toyota Corolla was totaled and Sindy J. Avila Gutierrez was transported to Morton General Hospital, according to the state patrol. Troopers called about 4:35 p.m. to the scene indicate the Woodburn, Oregon woman was to be cited for speeding, dangerously distracted driving and driving with a suspended license.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, third-degree theft, unlawful transit conduct, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving under the influence, protection order violation, driving with suspended license, giving false statement to police; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, harassment, shoplifting, vandalism, civil issue, vehicle collision, hit and run, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances, protection order violation, male laying outside on the ground crying,  male sobbing and crying in the rain on a street corner, male outside screaming yelling and having a breakdown, male laying in a parking lot who jumped up and into a dumpster and started yelling for help … and more among 479 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m.

Honoring Sheriff Wiester

October 21st, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  The Board of (Lewis) County Commissioners proclaimed today Sheriff William H. “Bill” Wiester Day throughout the county to recognize the former sheriff’s contributions to public service.

Wiester passed away Sept. 21, at age 91. A celebration of life was scheduled for today at Bethel Church of the Assemblies of God, south of Chehalis.

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William H. “Bill” Wiester
1926 – 2017

He was the longest serving sheriff in the county’s history, first elected in 1966 and continuing in the position for 20 years.

County commissioners in issuing their proclamation noted how Wiester started with the sheriff’s office as the resident deputy in Randle, was a long-time first aid instructor and was instrumental in initiating the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office K-9 program.

He served as president of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

“He was proud of his time spent with his bloodhounds, Ole Blue and Maggie, and his reputation for search-and-rescue missions proceeded him, with state other and local agencies contacting him to spearhead searches for missing children,” the document stated.

In May of 1980, after the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens, U.S. Army leaders turned to the three county sheriffs with jurisdiction over the blast zone and the Toledo Airport where search and rescue operations were based, and suggested it would work best if the three chose a leader to represent their group. They chose Sheriff Wiester.

Wiester was born Jan. 9, 1926, living in Morton, according to his obituary, and after high school went into military service as a Merchant Marine. His work before law enforcement included a state fire warden, a cannery worker and logging. He married Jeanne Olson on March 1, 1945 and they raised three children.

“The sheriff’s reputation as a gifted storyteller and his steadfast dedication to public service has created a legacy that will be remembered by many for generations,” the Lewis County BOCC wrote.

Twenty-one picked up in Lewis County warrant sweep

October 20th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  Deputies with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and troopers from the Washington State Patrol served 21 warrants yesterday as part of an annual event focused on outstanding domestic violence warrants.

Law enforcement officers yesterday made 111 service attempts, resulting in four felony warrant arrests and 17 misdemeanor arrests.

While the main focus of the sweep was domestic violence warrants, other non-domestic violence warrants were also attempted, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

“This event demonstrates the strong partnerships between Lewis County law enforcement, the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office and the courts,” Sheriff Robert Snaza stated in a press release. “Through this successful sweep we were able to increase public safety, while holding those accountable who break the law.”

The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, Lewis County District Court and the court-contracted defense attorney were also involved, and were instrumental in the efficiency of the operation, according to the press release.

The collaborative sweep was part of the 15th Annual National Domestic Violence Warrant Sweep

News brief: Downtown Morton building fire extinguished quickly

October 20th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  Firefighters were called about 6:45 p.m. yesterday to what turned out to be a small fire in downtown Morton.

Fire investigator Ted McCarty said the restaurant next door noticed some smoke from the denture clinic on the 200 block of Main Avenue.

Crews found a little fire in one of the offices, McCarty said.

“It didn’t do a lot of damage structure-wise, but there was smoke damage,” he said. “District 4 firefighters, they did a great job and kept it confined.”

The building, with apartments on the upper level, was built in the 1920s, according to McCarty.

His investigation is ongoing, but the fire didn’t appear suspicious, he said.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

October 20th, 2017
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AUTO THEFT

• Centralia police were called about 10:15 a.m. yesterday regarding a red 1997 Honda Accord stolen from the 100 block of Virginia Drive. It has a license plate of BCS 6795, according to the Centralia Police Department.

•  A white 1991 Honda Accord with black wheels was stolen from the 700 block of H Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 9:25 a.m. yesterday It has a license plate reading BAE 9021, according to the Centralia Police Department.

OTHER THEFT

• An Apple iPad was reported stolen from a home on the 1400 block of Johnson Road in Centralia about 1:35 p.m. yesterday.

• Centralia police were called about 10:25 a.m. yesterday to a residence on the 1200 block of South Scheuber Road to take a report a laptop computer was stolen.

• The theft of medication from a residence on the 2200 block of Eureka Avenue in Centralia was reported just after 9 a.m. yesterday.

SLIGHT SCUFFLE

• A 58-year-old homeless man hanging around outside a bank on the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue yesterday allegedly resisted when contacted by an officer and was arrested for third-degree assault after a slight scuffle with the officer, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Police called to the area at 1 p.m. yesterday booked Henry T. Baker into the Lewis County Jail. A case for second-degree trespassing was to be referred in connection with the incident, according to police. Prosecutors today declined to file the felony charge.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, probation violation, third-degree theft, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, trespassing, harassment, civil issue, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances … and more among 175 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

October 19th, 2017
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CUSTOM FLATBED TRAILER DISAPPEARS

• Chehalis police were called just after 2 p.m. yesterday to the 1100 block of North National Avenue where sometime during the previous three days someone stole a homemade 1992 triple-axle flatbed trailer. It has black and white wheels and is valued at $4,000, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

WINLOCK GARAGE BURGLED

• A deputy was called yesterday evening to the 200 block of Awmiller Road in Winlock where someone had stolen a set of golf clubs and other equipment from a garage sometime since mid-August. Possible evidence was found of forced entry, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The loss is estimated at $500, according to the sheriff’s office.

THIEF CAUGHT ON CAMERA

• Multiple items were stolen from an employee locker at the 400 block of West Walnut Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 4:30 p.m. yesterday. A suspect was seen committing the theft on security cameras, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• Chehalis police were called about 9:30 p.m. yesterday about a possible vehicle prowl at the 1500 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue.

LIGHTING LIFTED

• Centralia police were called about 4:45 p.m. yesterday on a report that two males riding bicycles had stolen outdoor lighting from the 500 block of North Pearl Street.

UNWELCOME VISITOR

• Centralia police were called to the 200 block of East Chestnut Street just before 11 a.m. yesterday where a 56-year-old homeless man allegedly assaulted multiple residents who were forcing him to leave a residence after he refused the homeowner’s demands to get out. Orval L. Chancy was arrested for first-degree burglary and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

THEFT OF BREAKFAST

• A 20-year-old homeless person who allegedly began eating a continental breakfast intended for paying guests at a hotel on the 1200 block of Alder Street in Centralia was arrested after police were called about 9:35 a.m. yesterday. Centralia police say Jesse M. McCracken had previously been trespassed from the business and so he was arrested for second-degree burglary and booked into the Lewis County Jail.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, obstructing, shoplifting, misdemeanor domestic assault; responses for alarm, dispute, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 149 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m.