Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office announced this afternoon that its internal investigation confirmed Deputy Matt McKnight acted within the law and did not deviate from office policy, procedure and training when he fatally shot a 33-year-old man in Napavine the week before last.

Deputies were assisting Napavine police with a dispute early on June 20 when McKnight was confronted by a volatile suspect; the result was McKnight shot Steven V. Petersen who died at the scene, the sheriff’s office said today in a news release.

A team of officers from outside sheriff’s offices conducted the shooting investigation. Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer’s review of their findings concluded last week the deputy’s use of deadly force was justified.

Sheriff’s Steve Mansfield’s office conducted an  internal investigation that included a “shooting review board”.

McKnight is cleared to return to normal patrol duties next week, according to the sheriff’s office. The 27-year-old  has worked with the sheriff’s office a little more than four years.

Sheriff Mansfield said in the news release it’s an unfortunate reality that law enforcement must at times resort to the use of deadly force to protect themselves and others during volatile situations.

“This incident, while tragic for so many reasons, drives home the reality of the dangers of this profession and the importance of how we conduct ourselves and what we do each and every day to achieve our mission and protect those we serve,” Mansfield stated.

It was about 2 a.m. after a man had apparently stabbed the front door of a home on West Washington Street when McKnight confronted Petersen several blocks away.

Meyer wrote in his findings that Petersen wouldn’t take his hand out of pocket, ignored verbal commands and began to advance on the deputy when the deputy fired four shots. No knife was found in the pocket or anywhere else, according to Meyer.

Petersen died of a gunshot wound to the head.
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Read background here

This news story was updated at 5:30 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A plea deal has been reached with one of the two men charged in last summer’s triple slaying near Salkum.

Ryan J. McCarthy, 29, is scheduled to plead guilty next week in Lewis County Superior Court.

Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said today he would not discuss what McCarthy plans to plead to, or what if anything either side offered in exchange.

He is set to go before a judge on Thursday.

The Redmond man and former Onalaska resident John A. Booth Jr. were arrested after four people were found shot – three fatally – inside a home off Gore Road near Salkum last August.

The dead are David West Sr. 52, his son David West Jr., 16, and a friend Tony E. Williams, 50, of Randle. West Sr.’s live-in girlfriend, Denise Salts, 52, survived a gunshot wound to her face.

McCarthy’s lawyer couldn’t be reached immediately for comment this afternoon.

Attorneys brokered a plea deal last week, and yesterday set a date with the judge, but it won’t be final until McCarthy “signs on the dotted line,” Meagher said.

He did say he and Olympia defense attorney Rick Cordes have agreed upon the amount of time they will recommend to the judge that McCarthy serve.

McCarthy was charged with murder as well as attempted extortion. His trial was set for October.

Booth, 32, is scheduled to go to  trial on Nov. 7.

He is charged with attempted murder of Salts, second-degree murder of West Sr., first degree murder of David Jr. and Williams, attempted extortion and unlawful possession of a firearm.

The two men are former cell mates. Authorities have said they believe the two men’s Aug. 21 visit to the house was related to a drug debt collection.

Booth’s lawyer, Roger Hunko, said this afternoon he had no reaction to offer about the news.

“I don’t think it means much one way or the other to John,” Hunko said. “Mr. McCarthy is going to have to do what he needs to do.”

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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

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Fire destroyed an Adna area home this afternoon.

Lewis County Fire District 6 was called about 12:50 p.m. to the 100 block of Sunset Drive, off Brockway Road, according to Firefighter-paramedic Tim Kinder.

The single-story house was fully involved in flames when they arrived and fought “pretty much defensively,” Kinder said.

District 6 was joined by members of fire departments from Chehalis, Centralia and Napavine.

Nobody was home, although some pets perished, Kinder said.

Kinder believed two cats and a dog were rescued.

Fire Capt. Ted McCarty of Chehalis Fire Department said two kittens were saved, and seemed to be doing fine.

“They kinda reached in and found them in the foam and rubble, about an hour into it,” McCarty said.

Kinder described the house as gutted. It had been burning for quite awhile before firefighters arrived, he said.

The cause is under investigation.