Posts Tagged ‘news reporter’

News brief: Chill with city employees during heat wave

Tuesday, August 1st, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralians can hang out at city hall to stay cool during business hours during the last three days of the work week when temperatures outside could go over 100 degrees.

Water will be provided at the Centralia city-sponsored cooling station.

Centralia Police Department detective Patty Finch issued a press release this morning advising the forecast is for between 96 and 105 degrees.

It is very important to stay cool, Finch states. She advises:

• Stay in an air-conditioned, indoor location as much as possible.
• Drink plenty of fluids even if you don’t feel thirsty; water is best.
• Schedule outdoor activities carefully – wear lightweight clothing and sunscreen.
• Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
• Never leave children or pets in cars.

Centralia City Hall is at 118 W. Maple St. at the corner of North Pearl and Maple streets.

The doors will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

An excessive heat warning is in place for Lewis and surrounding counties through Friday, with the potential for the highest temperatures on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

The forecast for Centralia and Chehalis is 93 degrees today.

Fire weather: Brush fires break out in Rochester, Chehalis

Tuesday, August 1st, 2017
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More than two dozen firefighters worked the area off Hilt Road in Rochester last night. / Courtesy photo by West Thurston Regional Fire Authority

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Flames spread over a little more than three acres in Rochester yesterday evening but crews stopped them before they afflicted any homes.

Firefighters were called just after 5 p.m. for a brush fire in the area of U.S. Highway 12 and 183rd Avenue Southwest but found their fire off of Hilt, Denmark and Roseburg streets, according to West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

They were joined by several neighboring fire departments to tackle the fast moving long, skinny fire on the backside of various properties, Lt. Lanette Dyer said.

A 22-year-old firefighter was taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and dehydration, Dyer said. She was treated and home by about 11:30 p.m., she said.

Dyer said although one pump house burned, a dozen homes were saved.

The scene was turned over to personnel from the state Department of Natural Resources around 7:30 p.m. They planned to watch overnight.

The Chehalis Fire Department kept busy yesterday stamping out small fires, three of them caused by cigarettes tossed into the bark of planting beds at the Twin City Town Center.

A fourth brush fire that broke out along Shoreline Drive was also caused by a cigarette, according to Fire Capt. Ted McCarty.

McCarty said a man said he dropped a cigarette as he and others were being chased out of the area of the old city treatment plant. He approached a deputy at a gas station on Main Street and said he thought he might have ignited a fire, McCarty said.

“And the deputy looked up to see the smoke,” McCarty said. It was held to about an eighth of an acre, he said.

It’s only going to get worse, McCarty said.

An excessive heat warning is in place for much of Western Washington through Friday, with the potential for record-breaking temperatures on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. A fire weather watch is advising that conditions will be favorable for the rapid spread of any fires.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Brooke Bova reminded motorists via Twitter today that throwing a lit cigarette out the window of a vehicle can also earn them a $1,025 ticket.

Authorities are reminding the public of steps to take to avoid heat illnesses, such as drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances, the NWS advises.

“This is especially true during hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes,” the NWS stated in a bulletin this morning.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, July 31st, 2017
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•••

Updated at 5:52 p.m.

ASSAULT, ASSAULT, ASSAULT

• A 24-year-old Centralia resident who allegedly punched a person in the face breaking his tooth was arrested for second-degree assault after a call about 12:25 a.m. today to the 100 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia. Brycen J. Morris was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A deputy dispatched to the Lewis County Jail about 7:15 p.m. yesterday regarding an incident in which a 33-year-old woman allegedly choked a 30-year-old woman re-booked Melissa A. McAllistar of Centralia for second-degree assault, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors declined to file the felony charges and moved it be evaluated for Lewis County District Court instead.

• A deputy advised about 4:30 p.m. yesterday of a physical altercation between relatives at the 100 block of Del Ray Road in Mossyrock arrested Damon J. Harding, 39, of Mossyrock for second-degree assault. The fight was related to a job offer being declined and both men were injured, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A 69-year-old Mossyrock man sustained broken ribs, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. Harding was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

• A 50-year-old Chehalis resident who allegedly spit in the eye of a health care provider at the 900 block of South Scheuber Road in Centralia on Friday night was arrested for second-degree assault, according to the Centralia Police Department. Ronald J. Gleaston Jr. was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Chehalis police were called over to Green Hill School about 8:40 a.m. on Friday to take a report of an assault. Further confirmable details were not yet available, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

FIREWORKS FRACAS

• A deputy saw fireworks discharged at the 600 block of U.S. Highway 12 about 10:35 p.m. on Saturday and approached a group of males who began to surround the deputy, an encounter that led one man to be arrested. They said there weren’t any fireworks lit off, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said the deputy began to take James Q. Eberle, 36, of Chehalis, into custody for obstruction and Eberle resisted so Eberle was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for resisting arrest and obstructing. A second individual was issued an infraction for discharging fireworks, Breen said.

BREAK-IN

• A deputy was called about 2:15 p.m. yesterday to a break-in to a residence on the 700 block of Frost Road in Winlock. Among the items discovered missing were an air compressor and numerous tools, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• Centralia police were called to the 1100 block of West Chestnut Street on Saturday afternoon to take a report that someone had entered a residence and stolen five gold rings sometime over the past couple of months.

• A deputy was called on Saturday to a burglary to a single-wide trailer at the 600 block of Meier Road in Winlock in which numerous items were stolen including a deep water well pump, a box of fittings, a regulator and a pressurized water tank.

AUTO THEFT

• A blue four-door 1991 Toyota Camry was reported stolen about 9:10 a.m. yesterday from the 700 block of South Ash Street in Centralia.

• An individual at the 1300 block of Southwest Johnson Avenue in Chehalis called 911 about 3:15 a.m. yesterday to report their 1990 Honda Accord had just been stolen and called back just before 4:30 a.m. to report it had been brought back, although parked in a neighbor’s driveway. Missing was a purse and a toolbox, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• A 1997 Honda Civic stolen from the 800 block of Southwest William Avenue in Chehalis was located on Friday out in the county by the sheriff’s office, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

FRAUD

• Police were called to take a report of a scam at the 1300 block of South Gold Street in Centralia at about 12:20 p.m. on Friday. The Centralia Police Department described it this way: (T)he suspect pays off a credit card and then asks for a cash advance to be wired to them. The payments were then charged back as fraudulent.”

DRUGS

• A 59-year-old man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine after contact with an officer about 1:15 p.m. yesterday in a park at the 100 block of South Pearl Street in Centralia. Russell E. Charnell Jr. was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VANDALISM

• Chehalis police were called about 3:40 a.m. today by an individual at Southwest Fifth Street and McFadden Avenue who said someone was breaking their house windows.

• A vehicle window was reported smashed at the 3000 block of Borst Avenue in Centralia just before 8 p.m. on Friday.

MOOVE ALONG

• Police in Morton received a complaint about 5:45 p.m. yesterday of 15 cows running loose around 800 block of Main Avenue, according to the Morton Police Department.

• The police department in Morton was called again about 6:40 a.m. today regarding three black calves wandering around the 700 block of Division Avenue. While the officer was enroute, the officer was informed that the owner of the animals wear notified and they were returned, according to the Morton Police Department.

• The Morton Police Department reported today a tourist from New Zealand was the subject of reports a male person was giving children candy and pushing them on swings at the park at the 100 block of West State Street in Mossyrock just after 9 p.m. on July 19. A responding officer learned the man was riding a bicycle from San Diego to Canada and informed him parents were becoming uncomfortable, according to police. The tourist agreed to leave the park for the night, according to the Morton Police Department.

WILD FIRE

• Firefighters called about 4 p.m. on Friday regarding a roughly 3-acre grass fire at the 400 block of Kirkland Road in Napavine were able to stop the flames before they advanced into buildings, according to Lewis County Fire District 5.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A police officer was called about 3:15 p.m. yesterday to the 100 block of West State Street in Mossyrock where an individual giving his sister a ride on his newly purchased motorcycle wrecked. He sustained scrapes and road rash but she did not have any visible marks, according to the Morton Police Department.

• Centralia Police investigated a vehicle versus bicycle injury collision about 4:25 p.m. on Saturday at North Tower Avenue and Second Street. The unspecified at-fault driver was issued a notice of infraction, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 32-year-old motorist was booked into the Lewis County Jail following a collision just before 12:30 p.m. on Saturday at Harrison Avenue and Bridge Street in Centralia in which the occupants of two other vehicles were injured, according to the Centralia Police Department. Joshua C. Shorb was arrested for driving under the influence and vehicular assault, according to police.

• An Onalaska motorist turning left off state Route 508 onto Johnson Road was struck by an oncoming dump truck and somehow not injured, but his 1995 Ford Thunderbird was totaled last night, according to the Washington State Patrol. Troopers called about 7:55 p.m. determined 54-year-old Gerald L. King had been traveling westbound, according to the state patrol. The driver of the 1971 American General dump truck lost control, left the road and traveled about 75 more yards through a ditch hitting a stump and a power pole, according to Lewis County Fire District 1. David D. Auman, 46, from Morton was hurt and was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital. The wreck occurred about seven miles east of Onalaska. “The force of striking the pole on the south side of 508, created enough tension to also shear the pole on the north side of the road in half,” District 1 Assistant Chief Rhonda Volk stated. “The resulting impact with the ditch sheared both front wheels from the truck.” King was arrested for driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, reckless endangerment, failure to yield and driving without insurance, and booked into the Lewis County Jail. He said the sun was in his eyes, according to Volk.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, trespassing, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, misdemeanor assault, driving with suspended license, third-degree malicious mischief, minor in possession and/or consumption of alcohol; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, hit and run, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances, vehicle collision, disorderly person, noisy neighbor music … and more among 468 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

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Five-ton military truck knocked the rear tire of a car that turned in front of it and subsequently lost both its front wheels when it hit a ditch east of Onalaska. / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Fire District 1

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Friday, July 28th, 2017
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•••

BARN BURGLED

• A deputy was called about 8:40 a.m. yesterday regarding a theft from a barn at the 2100 block of South Scheuber Road in which two inoperable motorcycles were taken, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Missing since sometime after 4 p.m. on Wednesday are a 2004 Yamaha and a 2006 Honda valued about $3,300, according to the sheriff’s office.

POST OFFICE BOX PILFERING

• Post office box’s were discovered pried open and mail stolen from at least two of them at the Centralia Post Office on the 200 block of Centralia College Boulevard, according to  report made to police about 12:30 p.m. yesterday. The case is under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.

FRAUD

• Chehalis police were called about 1:25 p.m. yesterday to the 400 block of North Market Boulevard for a report that a pair of individuals were trying to cash what appeared to be a counterfeit cashier’s check, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

OTHER THEFT

• Chehalis police were called about 6:10 p.m. yesterday to take a report of a theft from Northwest Maryland Avenue.

LIGHTS OUT

• Someone stole light bulbs out of fixtures on a front porch at the 500 block of South Gold Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 11:30 a.m. yesterday.

ASSAULT

• Centralia police were called just after 4 p.m. yesterday to the 400 block of West Summa Street where a boy allegedly assaulted a man by pushing him after the man swore at the boy’s mother, according to the Centralia Police Department. Police are investigating.

DRUGS

• A 28-year-old Longview man was arrested for a violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act following a traffic stop about 11 p.m. yesterday at the 200 block of Telegraph Road. Jonathon R. Brown was found to have an outstanding warrant and then a small smoking device with suspected meth was found during a search of his vehicle, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

FAUX FIRE

• Firefighters called late yesterday evening to a report of a railroad box car on fire alongside state Route 6 between Spooner and Boistfort roads discovered a film crew was using a smoke-generating machine to simulate a fire, according to Lewis County Fire District 13 Battalion Chief Gregg Peterson.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• One patient was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital after a three-vehicle collision reported about 4 a.m. yesterday in the area of U.S. Highway 12 and Jackson Highway, according to Lewis County Fire District 5.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vandalism, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances, vehicle collision, disorderly person, protection order violation … and more among 159 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Train collision victim dies at Harborview

Friday, July 28th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The motorist whose pickup truck was struck by the steam train has passed away, almost two weeks after the collision in Adna, according to the Washington State Patrol.

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July 15, 2017

Jerrry W. Mullins, 82, from Curtis, died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on today’s date, according to the state patrol.

Mullins had been traveling on state Route 6 near Twin Oaks Road on the evening of July 15 when the collision occurred. The state patrol stated at the time he didn’t see warning lights that a train was approaching.

He was conscious and alert when he was freed from the wreckage, according to responders. Mullins was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and then transferred to Harborview.

The Washington State Patrol initially incorrectly reported his first name to the news media.
•••

For background, read “Chehalis steam train strikes Curtis man’s pickup” from Sunday July 16, 2017, here

Centralia mom pleads guilty to exposing children to meth smoke

Thursday, July 27th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The 25-year-old Centralia mother who admitted exposing her two children to meth smoke is off to prison with a sentence of a year and a day.

Sabrina L. Sumter pleaded guilty in Lewis County Superior Court to two counts of endangerment with a controlled substance and one count of possession of methamphetamine.

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Sabrina L. Sumter / File photo

When she went before a judge on Friday, the judge agreed to the sentence that was within the standard range, according to Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer.

Sumter had been arrested at the end of June, the same day Centralia police learned a test result had come back showing positive for the presence of the drug in Sumter’s 3-month-old baby girl.

The only reason the discovery was made, was the infant died unexpectedly in May and the coroner’s office conducted an autopsy and tests to figure out why.

It turned out to have been an accidental death, the baby suffocated while sharing a bed with her mother, according to authorities.

After she was arrested, Sumter admitted that she and others smoked meth in her home, exposing the children, according to prosecutors.

Meyer said two issues were unrelated, in his expert’s opinion.

“The meth in the child’s system was not the cause of death,” he said this week.

Had he been able to link them and show criminality, he would have pursued the case differently, he said.
•••

For background, read “Centralia infant exposed to meth smoke died of something different” from Friday July 7, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Thursday, July 27th, 2017
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Firefighters in Napavine put water on burning hay. / Courtesy photo by Rhianon Hull‎

Updated at 2:56 p.m.

HEY, HEY, HAY ON FIRE

• A neighbor’s large hedge and fence caught fire after the driver of a pickup truck pulling a trailer loaded with bales of hay looked in his mirror and saw the hay was burning in Napavine yesterday. Firefighters were called just before 6 p.m. to the scene at East Stella Street and Forest-Napavine Road, according to Lewis County Fire District 5. Lt. Laura Hanson said they were joined by members of District 15 and managed to stop the fire before the back of the pickup. The pickup sustained moderate damage but the trailer was destroyed, she said.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY

• A 47-year-old Centralia man returned home to discover upwards of $50,000 worth of valuables missing contacted the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office yesterday. A deputy responding to the home on the 100 block of Northridge Drive learned the victim had been away for an extended period of time and nobody had permission to be there, according to the sheriff’s office. Among the missing property are paintings, a television and car tires, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. The time frame of the break-in is as long as one year, but has not yet been narrowed down, according to Breen.

BAIT BIKE

• A fairly expensive bicycle parked in a public area was taken within less than an hour yesterday, leading to an arrest for second-degree theft. The “bait bike” at West Main Street and Washington Avenue belonged to the Centralia Police Department, according to police. David W. Normand, 24 of Centralia, was contacted just before 3 p.m. by police who had been watching and was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

GARDENING IMPLEMENT MISSING

• A a David-Bradley tiller was stolen from the 3100 block of Borst Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 8:25 a.m. yesterday.

UNRULY RESIDENT

• A 36-year-old Centralia man detained by police about 9:15 p.m. yesterday in the area of the 100 block of South Silver Street allegedly attempted to bite an officer. Glen T. Smith was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for third-degree assault and the case is being referred for possible charges also of felony harassment, resisting arrest and obstructing, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DRUGS

• Patrick E. B. Ashley, 39, of Chehalis, was arrested on an outstanding warrant and possession of methamphetamine after contact with police about 3:10 p.m. yesterday at the 100 block of South Silver Street in Centralia. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

Cooks Hill Road was closed and traffic re-routed after a passenger vehicle struck a utility pole sheering it off at the base and leaving the threat of power lines coming down yesterday in Centralia. Responders called to the 2600 block at 12:35 p.m. evaluated the driver who was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries, according to Riverside Fire Authority. The sport utility vehicle was severely damaged, Fire Capt Erik Olson stated. The accident is under investigation by the Centralia Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, hit and run, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vandalism, vehicle collision, misdemeanor theft, disorderly person, suspicious circumstances; complaint a person on a sidewalk with children was asking for money … and more among 163 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.