News brief: Marijuana grow in Centralia shut down

October 14th, 2010
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Police seized about 160 marijuana plants growing inside a home in Centralia on Wednesday. / Courtesy photo by Centralia Police Department

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Centralia police seized roughly 160 marijuana plants when they served a search warrant at a home on Kulien Street in the north end of town yesterday.

The action followed a week-long investigation by the department’s Anti-Crime unit, according to a news release.

Police say the plants were in various stages of growth, from starts to fully mature.

The man who lives in the house said it was medical marijuana, but he “had way too many plants for medical marijuana,” Centralia detective Sgt. Pat Fitzgerald said today.

Generally, police look upon a supply of 15 of 16 plants to be in line with the many rules under which people are allowed to grow medical marijuana, according to Fitzgerald.

The man had documentation that he is allowed medical marijuana, as well as documentation for another person, the sergeant said.

Arrested was Bradley S. Andrews, 56, of Centralia. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail for unlawful manufacture of marijuana and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is a convicted felon and not allowed to possess guns, Fitzgerald said.

Officers went to the house about 10 a.m. and Andrews was the only one there at the time. The event was fairly “low key”, Fitzgerald said.

Officers found seedlings being cultivated in a laundry room, medium-sized plants in a bedroom and some as large as 6-feet tall  in the garage, according to Fitzgerald. The lighting used in the garage cast the orange glow shown in the photos, he said.

Also recovered were a pistol, two rifles and equipment commonly used for indoor marijuana cultivation, such as irrigation, ventilation and light systems, according to the news release.

The plants seized are being stored until they are dry and then will be destroyed, probably by incineration, Fitzgerald said.
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This news story was updated at 1:09 p.m. on Thursday Oct. 14, 2010

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Police seized about 160 marijuana plants growing inside a home in Centralia on Wednesday. / Courtesy photo by Centralia Police Department

Warrant issued: Onalaska burglary suspect a no-show at her sentencing

October 13th, 2010

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A no-bail bench warrant was issued this morning when 32-year-old Joanna McKenzie failed to show up for her sentencing.

McKenzie previously pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in connection with the night in April when an Onalaska property owner opened fire on her and her husband after he discovered them outside his house.

The Morton woman escaped uninjured but her husband Thomas McKenzie was fatally shot.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler asked her attorney if he tried calling her. J.O. Enbody said he did, the phone number was no good, and he left a message for her on her boyfriend’s phone.

Joanna McKenzie has been free on a $10,000 unsecured bond. She recently made a so-called Alford plea, not admitting guilt in the case.

Prosecutors planned to recommend she be treated as a first-time offender – because she has no felony criminal history – a situation that normally brings 30 days in jail, Deputy Prosecutor Kjell Warner said.

Because it was only an attempted crime and “given the circumstances of this case” Warner expected to ask she be sentenced to 15 days, he said.

Enbody said she’s made every other court date.

Ronald A. Brady, the man who shot at the McKenzies, made his first appearance in the same Chehalis courtroom yesterday afternoon, to face charges of first-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault.
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Read “Onalaska man accused in fatal shooting of suspected burglar goes before a judge” from earlier today by scrolling down.

Find more details about the charges against Joanna McKenzie by reading the story from Thursday July 15, 2010 “When is it OK to use deadly force in Lewis County?: Not so simple to answer, sheriff says” here

Onalaska man accused in fatal shooting of suspected burglar goes before a judge

October 13th, 2010
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Ronald A. Brady speaks with his lawyer Don Blair Tuesday afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A judge ordered Ronald A. Brady yesterday to turn in all his firearms to the sheriff’s office.

The Onalaska man appeared in Lewis County Superior Court on felony charges, six months after he reportedly opened fire on two suspected burglars at his Onalaska house killing one of them.

Brady, 60, is charged with first-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault for the events that left 56-year-old Thomas McKenzie of Morton dead outside Brady’s house. McKenzie’s wife, Joanna McKenzie, 32, escaped uninjured.

Brady said very little in court yesterday, as his attorney Don Blair addressed bail for his client.

“Mr. Brady is 60 years old, he’s lived in Lewis County for 20 years,” Blair told the judge. “It’s been six months since the occurrence; if he wanted to he could have moved to Costa Rica – if he had a passport.”

Judge James Lawler ordered a $50,000 unsecured appearance bond. Among the conditions of release pending the outcome of the case was that Brady cannot possess any firearms.

According to charging documents, Brady admitted shooting at the pair outside his house he was renovating on the 2100 block of state Route 508, describing to deputies opening his garage door and finding two flashlights shined in his face.

He told sheriff’s detectives he was staying overnight at the house in case burglars from earlier in the day returned. Brady resides in a nearby rental home.

Thomas McKenzie died from a gunshot wound to his chest and leaves behind nine children and other family members.

Brady’s neighbors, Jack and Sharon Tipping, were in the Chehalis courtroom to show support for their neighbor and tenant.

Brady began renting from them almost 15 years ago after his house burned down and has resided alone as he has been rebuilding his house, the couple said.

“He’s a friendly enough guy, not outgoing, a bit of a recluse,” Jack Tipping said after the brief hearing. “He’s a good neighbor, he’s a fine upstanding person. I think it’ just an unfortunate thing that happened.”

Jack Tipping said Brady phoned him the night it happened to let him know why there were flashing lights and police cars at his house.

Brady’s home had been broken into before, as has the Tippings, the couple said.

“We’ve all been burglarized before and people don’t have a lot of sympathy for burglars, my self included,” Jack Tipping said.

Brady is scheduled to return to court for his arraignment on Oct. 21.

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This news story was updated at 9:55 a.m. on Wednesday Oct. 13, 2010
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For more of the details of what prosecutors allege happened, read the Sept. 24, 2010 story “Onalaska man charged in April’s fatal shooting of suspected burglar” here

Read about Rochester man sentenced for lottery fraud …

October 13th, 2010

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The Olympian reported yesterday that Frederick A. McCutchen of Rochester was sentenced to four months of work release after his June arrest following a sting operation by lottery officials at his mother’s Shelton shop.

Read news reporter Jeremy Pawloski’s story here and the original story from June here

Read about former candidate David Hedrick arrested for assault …

October 13th, 2010

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The (Vancouver) Columbian reported yesterday that one-time Republican congressional candidate David Hedrick was arrested over the weekend for allegedly striking his wife during an argument.

Read news reporter Bob Albrecht’s story here

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

October 12th, 2010

TOLEDO HOME SAVED FROM FIRE THAT BURNED GARGE TO THE GROUND

• A blaze yesterday morning in Toledo destroyed a detached garage but a nearby house sustained only minimal damage. Firefighters from Lewis County Fire District 2 were called about 9 a.m. to the 100 block of Cooper Road off state Route 505. “We went right to the house, the garage was already on the ground and the back side of the house had already started to burn,” Fire Lt. Tracy Summers said. The residents were not home at the time. Firefighters from Winlock and Vader assisted. A lot of tools and motor parts were lost, according to Fire Investigator Jay Birley. He said this morning he doesn’t yet know what caused the fire.

GRAFFITI IN CENTRALIA

• Centralia police yesterday took two reports of spray-painted graffiti on the outsides of buildings. One was on the 100 block of West First Street and the other on the 200 block of South Pearl Street. Centralia police Sgt. Stacy Denham said one of them contained the word “Sensa.” Denham said he is not sure what was meant by it, but said it is a martial arts term for a teacher or boss.

THEFTS AND BREAK-INS

• The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reported yesterday somebody stole more than $6,000 of items from a storage shed on the 400 block of Conrad Road in Winlock. A deputy took a report Saturday evening and learned that among the items missing were a power tools, a Kawasaki motorcycle, televisions, a floor jack and a propane tank. Damage done to wiring, gas lines and a sewer hose totaled an estimated $1,800, according to the report. The victim lives out of town and the break-in apparently occurred in previous weeks.

• A deputy took a report on Saturday about a break-in to a shop on the 700 block of Gish Road in Onalaska. Among the items stolen were a miter saw, a Stihl chainsaw and five sets of drive sockets, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. it had occurred sometime in the previous two to three weeks.

• Somebody broke the window of a Honda Civic and left the glove box open after it was left broken down Sunday evening on the side of the road near Old Highway 99 and the Oregon Trail Road, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. The Chehalis woman who owns the car had removed the stereo and put it in the trunk, and nothing was missing, the sheriff’s office reported.

POLICE CHIEF BERG TEACHES, LEARNS ABOUT NEW TECHNOLOGY

• Centralia Police Chief Bob Berg was among some 30 law enforcement officers who attended a rural law enforcement technology institute last week, an event held in Coronado, Calif. which Berg called innovative and informative. Among the topics of discussion were crime mapping, records management, communications, and technologies related to patrol vehicles, aviation and digital video, according to a news release yesterday. Participation was funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice, according to the news release. Berg was a presenter as well, speaking about implementing electronic ticketing. Berg noted the most beneficial aspect was the interaction with his contemporaries. “I found that other departments are facing the same issues that we encounter and that there are some good solutions out there that are reasonable in cost,” Berg said in the news release. “Moreover, it reinforced my belief that the Centralia Police Department is in the forefront of implementing and using new technology for law enforcement.”

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

October 11th, 2010

TOLEDO COUPLE FINDS THEIR HOUSE TRASHED

• A pair of Toledo residents returned home Saturday evening to find someone had dumped paint throughout their house on the walls, floors and furniture, as well as left writing with a black permanent marker in various places including the walls and appliances. The damage, which added up to an estimated $50,000, also included three televisions – one which was struck by a hammer – several broken windows and bleach and vinegar poured around the home, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Somebody also fired a shot through a window, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said this morning. It happened on the 500 block of state Route 506 sometime between Friday and Saturday evening, Brown said. The suspect, the 38-year-old daughter of one of the residents, was interviewed in the Pacific County Jail and admitted the damage, Brown said. She was not arrested, but the case was referred to the prosecutor’s office for charges of first-degree malicious mischief and theft of a firearm, according to Brown.

UNRULY ARRESTEES

• Centralia police booked a 29-year-old Rochester man into jail Saturday afternoon after he reportedly kicked out the rear window of a patrol car. Ryan A. McCarter, of Rochester, was arrested for second-degree malicious mischief. It followed a contact with an officer about 4 p.m. on the 700 block of West Cherry Street. Why he was put in the patrol car was not reported by police.

• A wanted man found hiding in a closet was uncooperative and damaged a patrol car when he banged his head against the side window and plastic divider early Saturday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responding to a tip on the whereabouts of John T. Malantich went to a residence on the 200 block of Newaukum Valley Road in Chehalis about 5 a.m. Saturday to arrest him for a warrant, according to the sheriff’s office.

OUT-OF-TOWNERS MAKE GETAWAY INTO DEAD END

• While Chehalis police take reports virtually every day of shoplifting, most often from Wal-Mart, a trio of individuals made their job a little easier on Saturday afternoon by fleeing north in their vehicle towards Home Depot and to the car dealership where the road dead-ends. Officers were called about 3:35 p.m. by a witness who saw two men run out of the store and hop into a waiting van, according to police. As police were responding, the van, being followed by a witness, got turned around and was stopped just beyond the northbound entrance to Interstate 5 at Chamber of Commerce Way, detective Sgt. Rick McNamara said. Police recovered two DVD players. The three were arrested for third-degree theft, a misdemeanor, and then released. They are Calvert R. Anderson, 27, of Lacey; Nicole D. Haas, 21, of Lacey; and Jeffrey A. Bennett, 30, of Tumwater, McNamara said.

PAIR PUNCHED BY PASSING STRANGERS

• Another type of call that keeps Centralia and Chehalis police fairly busy is misdemeanor assault, however, the assailants are not usually strangers, and it most commonly involves bar fights on the weekends, according to detective Sgt. Rick McNamara. However, an officer was called about 2:20 a.m. on Saturday to the 400 block of North Market Boulevard in Chehalis after a male reported two males walking by punched him and his friend in the head. The two subjects were not found, McNamara said.

10-YEAR-OLD GIRL LOCKED UP FOR ALLEGED ASSAULT

• Centralia police arrested a 10-year-old girl for felony assault on Saturday afternoon. A summary of the incident from the Centralia Police Department does not make note of the type of alleged assault, but the girl was taken to the Lewis County juvenile detention facility following contact with an officer about 3 p.m. on the 1100 block of Scammon Creek Road, according to police. Centralia police Sgt. Stacy Denham later said the child was angry at her mother’s boyfriend and when the mother returned home and began to deal with the issue, the girl threw a jar at her mother, which missed but struck her younger brother in the head. He had to get stitches, Denham said. The girl was arrested for second-degree assault. Denham said children between the ages of zero and eight are incapable of committing a crime in the eyes of the courts, and those 8 to 12 years old are presumed incapable as well, but sometimes can be found through a lengthy process as knowledgeable and mature enough to be charged with a crime.

DRUGS

• Gary L. Lohr, 64, of Centralia, was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail overnight for possession of methamphetamine, according to the Centralia Police Department. The arrest followed a contact just before 3 a.m. near the 2400 block of North Pearl Street.

• Police took a report of the theft of prescription medications from a residence on the 2900 block of Mount Vista Road on Friday afternoon. Just before 3 o’clock the following morning, an officer took another report of the theft of medication – and a cell phone – from an address on the 1100 block of West Chestnut Street.

CAMPAIGN SIGN THEFT

• Chehalis police were called Friday afternoon and told all of an individual’s campaign signs were missing from Northeast Kresky Avenue. Lewis County Assessor Dianne Dorey’s signs seemed to have vanished from elsewhere in town as well as from Centralia and around the county, according to the report.

LOG TRUCK LOSES LOAD ON BRIDGE

• Nobody was injured but a Honda Civic ran into a log on the roadway after a Centralia truck truck driver spilled his load of logs on U.S. Highway 101 north of Humptulips in Grays Harbor County on Friday, according to the Washington State Patrol. William E. Mattox, 50, was southbound and attempting to pass another vehicle when he overcorrected and lost his pup trailer and logs on the Humptulips Bridge, according to the state patrol. It happened just before 6 a.m. He was cited for driving too fast, the patrol reported. The Honda, being driven by a 21-year-old woman, was totaled.

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Sirens was updated at 10 a.m. on Tuesday Oct. 12, 2010