Lewis County Sirens.com

CENTRALIA MAN SOUGHT FOR ASSAULT AND KIDNAP ATTEMPT

• Law enforcement officers are looking for a 29-year-old man who allegedly barged into his ex-girlfriend’s Rochester home, beat her up and dragged her out of the house by her hair last night. The 24-year-old woman escaped as he was walking her away from her home, and she fled to her mother’s house, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Juan Epifanio Mejia, 29, of Centralia, is wanted on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping and first-degree burglary, sheriff’s Lt. Greg Elwin said today. Elwin said it happened between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the 7500 block of 191st Avenue Southwest. The pair were reportedly arguing about their relationship when Mejia “went crazy” punching the woman in the face several times, Elwin said. He didn’t know where Mejia was taking her, but said the couple was stopped briefly outside by a passing deputy who saw they were holding hands, and was told by Mejia “everything’s okay”. Then Mejia fled, Elwin said. That was about 10 p.m., according to Elwin. Her neighbors called 911 about midnight to report her missing and she was contacted at her mother’s house, he said.

HOMELESS MAN ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING OFFICER

• Centralia police used their Taser on a 57-year-old homeless man who reportedly threatened to assault and then charged an officer early yesterday morning near Harrison Avenue and Interstate 5. David R. Anderson was booked into the Lewis County Jail for third-degree assault after the approximately 3:20 a.m. incident. Further details were not readily available.

MAN FLEES DEPUTY ON STOLEN MOTORCYCLE

• A stolen motorcycle was recovered and a 37-year-old Glenoma man arrested after a chase in the Randle area on Saturday afternoon, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy tried to stop a 2003 Suzuki Volusia Intruder traveling 65 mph in a 35 mph zone about 2:30 p.m. but the driver fled into a residence on the 800 block of Cline Road, according to Chief Deputy Stacy Brown. Jake N. Dunaway, 37, was subsequently contacted there and then booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, driving without a license and other offenses, Brown said.

MAN HIT BY VEHICLE IN CHEHALIS

• Police and aid were called about 6 p.m. on Friday by a man who said he’d been hit by a car near Safeway on South Market Boulevard in Chehalis and hurt his leg. The driver reportedly took the man home about six blocks away and then left, according to police. The man was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital to be evaluated.

DRUGS

• A pair of Marysville teenagers were arrested in Centralia just before 3 o’clock this morning and one of them was booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of Ecstacy, according to police. Jordan T. Godsey, 19, was jailed and Chloe A. Kaehukaiopuaena, 19, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the Centralia Police Department. Kaehukaiopuaena was released after the contact with an officer near the northbound onramp from Harrison Avenue onto Interstate 5, according to police.

VEHICLE PROWLS

• Sometime between 11 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday somebody prowled a car in a driveway on the 100 block of Dieckman Road in Adna, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A neighbor’s Honda car was broken into the during the same time period, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown reported this morning. From that car, an estimated $350 of CDs were taken, according to Brown.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police were called just before 3 a.m. today about the rear window of a vehicle being smashed out at the 600 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia.

HONDA STOLEN FROM WINLOCK FOUND STRIPPED OF WHEELS IN PORTLAND

• Lewis County detectives are looking for information about a white 1993 Honda stolen from Winlock car lot on the 400 block of Hart Road on Jan. 22 and then found on Jan. 31 in Portland missing its wheels and tires. The loss is estimated at more than $2,000. Anyone with information is asked to call Lewis County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422.

CHEATING DEATH ON INTERSTATE 5

• Chehalis firefighters recommended a 34-year-old motorcyclist buy some lottery tickets today after a wreck on Interstate 5 in which the man was tossed over the center barrier into the oncoming lanes and survived. Aid and troopers were called about 5:45 p.m. yesterday to the area near the West Street overpass after Juan Santana Alvarez, of Auburn, lost control of his Suzuki and was ejected. He said he was northbound on a curve when the wind pushed him into the inside jersey barrier and he traveled along it briefly, according to responders. Alvarez was thrown over the divider into the southbound lanes but jumped back over and came to rest on the inside shoulder of the northbound lanes, according to the Washington State Patrol. A trooper described him with a broken leg and internal injuries. Chehalis Fire Capt. Rob Gebhart said he was conscious, talking and fairly upbeat, for having nearly just been run over by semi-trucks. He was wearing a leather jacket and a helmet, but it seemed like the motorcycle might have been new to him, Gebhart said. Alvarez was taken by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital. His condition this morning was unavailable. The 19997 Suzuki VZ800V was totaled; it landed in the northbound lanes, the patrol reported. “He definitely cheated death last night,” Gebhart said. “He was in pretty good shape for what happened.”

THREE ARRESTED FOLLOWING CENTRALIA FIGHT

• Centralia police are investigating a fight and felony assault from yesterday on the 1100 block of South Tower Avenue. Few details were released, but police report they arrested three Centralia men after the 5:30 p.m. call, two for instigating a fight and one on a warrant. Nicholas E. George, 22, was booked into the Lewis County Jail on an unspecified warrant. Tomas L. Delong, 19, and Kevin J. Delong, 20, were arrested for disorderly conduct for starting it, according to the Centralia Police Department. They were not jailed.

DRUGS

• Two Centralia men were jailed yesterday morning for possession of methamphetamine after they were caught vandalizing property with graffiti at the skate park on the 700 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia, according to police. Tristan L. House, 21, and Justin T. Booth, 19, were booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 31-year-old Centralia man was arrested early Saturday morning for possession of methamphetamine after contact with an officer on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue. Jonathan R. Young was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 36-year-old Toledo resident was booked into the Lewis County jail early Saturday for possession of methamphetamine and a felony warrant. Brian K. Roe was arrested after contact with an officer about 12:25 a.m. at the 400 block of North Oak Street in Centralia, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called yesterday afternoon to a motel on the 1300 block of Belmont Street after a customer checked out and left drugs behind, according to the Centralia Police Department.

THEFTS BY TEENS

• Police called Friday afternoon to the 600 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia concluded a male juvenile had stolen a tip jar on the window of an espresso stand. The amount taken was not reported. Police referred the case involving the unnamed teenager for a possible charge of second-degree theft.

• Centralia police arrested a juvenile male Friday afternoon for four counts of second-degree theft for allegedly stealing a relative’s credit card and using it to purchase video games on the internet. The unnamed teenager was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center, according to police.

CAR PROWLS

• Centralia police took a report about 11 a.m. yesterday of a vehicle prowl on the 300 block of South Diamond Street. The vehicle’s registration was the only item stolen, according to police.

• An 18-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for vehicle prowl about 2 a.m. on Saturday at the 200 block of South Diamond Street. Nathaniel D. Cline was arrested and then released, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A wallet containing a credit card was taken in a car prowl reported to police on Friday morning on the 700 block of M Street in Centralia.