Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker, Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 5-year-old boy reportedly hit by a motorcycle near Salkum was hospitalized over the weekend.

Aid was called just before 7 p.m. on Saturday to the scene at Orchard Drive off Spencer Road, according to Lewis County Fire District 8.

The child was airlifted with a head injury, according to Assistant Fire Chief Don Taylor.

Taylor, who set up a landing zone for the Life Flight helicopter at the main fire station on U.S. Highway 12, said he wasn’t certain what hospital the boy was taken to. He did not report the boy’s name.

Taylor hoped to be able to get an update on the boy’s condition later today, to pass along to fellow responders. Accidents involving children are especially disconcerting, the assistant chief indicated.

“That brings everyone out of the woodwork, when it’s a small child,” he said.

By Sharyn  L. Decker, Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s patrol car was totaled when it was struck by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 5 in Tumwater early Sunday morning.

Both Deputy Gordon J. Phillips, 45, and the other driver, a 29-year-old Tenino-area woman, reportedly sustained minor only injuries. Her 2001 Volkswagen Jetta was destroyed as well, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The state patrol reported it suspects alcohol or drugs were involved and the collision is under investigation.

Katie I. Dunn, 29, was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of the freeway at about 3 a.m. when her car collided with the deputy’s 2005 Crown Victoria, according to the state patrol. It happened near Tumwater Boulevard.

Deputy Phillips was traveling with his lights and sirens activated as he and another deputy were responding to assist the state patrol to find a wrong-way driver reported on Highway 101, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

The deputy saw headlights coming towards him and saw a vehicle ahead of him swerve to the right, according to sheriff’s Lt. Chris Mealy. The deputy was able to avoid a head-on crash by angling his patrol car to the right, Mealy said. The Volkswagen impacted his car behind the driver’s compartment, Mealy said.

Mealy didn’t know the speeds at which the two cars were traveling, but said the deputy had begun to slow when he first saw the headlights.

By Sharyn  L. Decker, Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Centralia woman was injured after a two-vehicle crash near Vader on Saturday afternoon.

A trooper called about 4:30 p.m. reported Lana L. Brooks, 44, suffered a leg injury as well as back and neck pain after her SUV was hit by a pickup truck which ran a stop sign. Both vehicles were described as totaled.

According to the Washington State Patrol, Brooks’ 2006 Saturn Vue was traveling east on state Route 506 when a 71-year-old driver from Shelton northbound on Westside Highway failed to stop. The 1979 Ford truck, hauling a trailer, collided with her Saturn on the highway, the state patrol reported.

Brooks was taken by aid car to Providence Centralia Hospital where she was treated and has been released, according to the hospital. Everett D. Nichols of Shelton was reportedly uninjured.

It’s fundraising season for candidates and both individuals running for Thurston County sheriff have events coming up.

John Snaza, who is running as an Independent, is holding a bowling fundraiser tonight at 8 p.m. at Aztec Lanes at 2825 Martin Way E. in Olympia.

The cost is $25 per person – includes bowling shoes – and folks could register through his campaign website at www.snazaforsheriff.com

But, Snaza said this afternoon, people can just show up and participate.

Debbie Mealy, a Democrat, has scheduled a fundraiser concert featuring Chris Ward of The Chris Ward Band for Saturday June 26. It will be held at the Thurston County Posse Hall at 5949 Maytown Road S.W.

Tickets are $25 and are available at the door or through her campaign website, www.debbiemealyforsheriff.com, by going to the “events” page and clicking on the PayPal link.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and light beverages and snacks will be available for purchase, as will raffle tickets for an autographed Chris Ward guitar, according to the campaign.

Both Snaza and Mealy currently work for the sheriff’s office. One of them will replace outgoing Sheriff Dan Kimball.

Kimball has not endorsed either candidate, because they do both work for him, he says. He may eventually, but if he does, it won’t be until after the primary. Kimball decided not to seek re-election after four years in office so he can spend more time caring for his mother.

In other Thurston County races of interest: the close of filing week on Friday left current Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock (D) unopposed and Jon Tunheim (D) unopposed in his bid to replace outgoing Thurston County Prosecutor Ed Holm.
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Other candidate upcoming events:
• Snaza: Wednesday June 23 from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., a meet and greet at the Water Street Cafe.
• Snaza: Thursday July 15 at 4 p.m., meet and greet at the Capitol City Golf Course with hot dogs, chips and pop.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office wants to let folks know to expect noise next weekend from an air show north of Maytown.

The Olympic Air Show takes place next Saturday and Sunday, June 19 and 20 at the Olympia Regional Airport in Tumwater, according to the sheriff’s office. The hours are 12:45 to 4:15 p.m.

A practice session will take place Friday evening between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Noise or traffic complaints related to the event may be directed to the Olympic Flight Museum at 360-705-3925 or by email to info@olympicflightmuseum, the sheriff’s office states. The museum is offering complimentary ear plugs to area residents as well.

Two people were taken to the hospital with back pain following a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 north of Centralia overnight that totaled both vehicles.

Aid and troopers were called about 1:25 a.m. to the northbound lanes of the freeway near the Lewis-Thurston county line, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The 28-year-old driver of a Honda CRV failed to slow for traffic and ran into the rear of a 2002 Jeep Liberty, according to the state patrol. The Honda’s driver, an Irvine, Calif. man, was cited for following too closely, the patrol reported.

He wasn’t injured, but a pair of Federal Way residents in the Jeep were transported by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital, the patrol said.