Archive for October, 2011

News brief: Attempted child luring in Mossyrock unfounded

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The Mossyrock Police Department issued a news release this afternoon saying they investigated an alleged child luring case in town and determined no crime was committed.

“While parents and community members should always be observant of unusual behavior we are glad in the instance there was no criminal activity found,” Officer Rebecca Sutherland stated.

The Mossyrock Elementary School principal encouraged teachers to talk with students Tuesday about stranger danger after learning of an incident the evening before in which a fifth-grade girl  said she was approached by a male while she was at Smith and Son Grocery.

The report followed two incidents in Morton in which a children told police of a man driving a white pickup truck offering them money if they would get into his vehicle.

Sutherland thanked the public for its diligence and encourages folks to call 911 immediately to report suspicious activity.

•••

Read “News brief: Attempted child lurings reported in Mossyrock, Morton” from Tuesday October 25, 2011 at 12:51 p.m., here

Breaking news: No charges in Ronda Reynolds homicide “at this time”

Thursday, October 27th, 2011
2011.1027.jon.meyer.nocharge_2

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer announces no charges against Ron Reynolds, Jonathan Reynolds, at the Lewis County courthouse this morning

Updated at 2:15 p.m. and 8:50 p.m.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer will not file criminal charges against the husband and step-son of former trooper Ronda Reynolds despite them being named as responsible for her homicide during the recently concluded coroner’s inquest into the December 1998 death.

But murder knows no statute of limitations, Meyer said at a press conference this morning at the Lewis County courthouse.

pc.ronda Copying_2

Ronda Reynolds

The elected prosecutor cited a lack of physical evidence available for a trial, as most was released after the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office early on decided the death was a suicide.

He also noted a higher standard he must adhere to if choosing to prosecute criminally, relative the rules that pertained to Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod’s inquest.

One issue is the obvious foreseeable defense he must consider in making a charging decision, Meyer said. The inquest jury named Toledo Elementary School Principal Ron Reynolds and his son Jonathan Reynolds.

“There is some evidence to suggest Ms. Reynolds was murdered; however there is also evidence to suggest she killed herself,” Meyer said.

However, he left the door open to further inquiry.

Meyer said he will be talking with the sheriff and discuss options for obtaining information he thinks is important for closure of the matter one way or the other.

Barb Thompson, who has battled for almost 13 years to see justice in her daughter’s case, repeatedly said this morning she is fine with the outcome and now can go on with her life.

“I’m okay with this decision,” Thompson told news reporters.

Following the eight-day inquest that concluded last week the coroner issued arrest warrants for the two men as required by state law, but recalled them to investigate an issue and then re-issued them again the night before last.

Prosecutor Meyer said he believes the sheriff is still obligated to serve the warrants, but doesn’t know what will occur when the Reynolds’s are brought before a judge.

“The statute is completely silent as to the process,” Meyer said, adding he will be prepared to answer any questions the judge has.

Lewis County Sheriff Steve Mansfield has remained tight-lipped throughout the inquest and since.

Mansfield stated publicly the day the inquest began that its outcome would not cause him to reopen their case or change its disposition in his office – suicide – unless clear and compelling new information arose.

Despite the sheriff’s office stance in the case, Meyer said he has confidence the sheriff will assist him in getting the answers he wants.

“Had they not followed up on some leads given to them by Barb and her team, I might have that concern, but they have followed up on several leads they’ve been given,” Meyer said.

Meyer said his ethical obligations as a prosecutor prevent him at this point from simply letting a jury decide if there is enough evidence.

The prosecutor said he has to have substantial admissible evidence, be able to convict, and in this case, and also consider a foreseeable defense.

“And in this case, I don’t think we’d be able to meet that burden,” he said.

Thompson said she was disappointed but has faith in Meyer as a prosecutor, and as new information comes in, she’ll work with him for as long as he allows her to do that.

“I think he’s going to keep that door open for me,” Thompson said.

She reminded a small crowd of news reporters that true crime author Ann Rule has offered a $30,000 reward for anyone who comes forward with information that ends in a conviction of the person responsible for her daughter’s death.

“Thirty-thousand dollars is a lot of money,” he said.

“We still think some may,” she said. “We know they know. There’s people out there that know.”

Regardless of today’s announcement of no charges, Thompson is feeling a great deal of finality knowing the suicide label will be replaced with that of homicide.

She has been keeping her daughter’s ashes at home, and now feels free to scatter them, she said.

“You know, I needed that, I needed that determination to do that,” she said.

•••

Read background on the coroner’s inquest, here

2011.1027.barb.thompson.nocharge

Barb Thompson, of Spokane, answers reporter's questions after the prosecutor's announcement.

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

MOSSYROCK DRIVER HURT BY FLYING WHEEL ASSEMBLY

• A 21-year-old woman from Mossyrock was hospitalized  after a dual tire wheel assembly broke off from a log truck and struck her car’s windshield and roof on Interstate 5 near Woodland this morning, according to the Washington State Patrol. Troopers were called to the northbound lanes near milepost 20 just after 7 o’clock today. Kayla A. Roque Villatoro was transported to Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver with possible upper body and facial lacerations, the state patrol reported. Her Honda Accord sustained an estimated $5,000 damage. It happened in a construction zone. A Jeep Cherokee that ran over part of the assembly became disabled, according to the state patrol. The 42-year-old truck driver from Corbett, Ore. was cited for a defective wheel.

THEFT

• Centralia police were called yesterday to a business on the 1200 block of Mellen Street to take a report somebody went in overnight and took “items”. Further details were not available.

• An unlocked car with its keys left inside was stolen from the 400 block of Tucker Road in Toledo sometime between 8 p.m. on Monday and 5 o’clock yesterday morning, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The 1996 four-door Dodge Neon is valued at $1,000 and belonged to the wife of a Napavine man who reported it was taken from his workplace, the sheriff’s office said today. It has a license plate reading VAE 623.

• A pair of newlyweds returning home from their honeymoon discovered on a ring they had hidden in a closet missing from their home on the 100 block of Brockway Road in Chehalis, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. It was reported yesterday. The loss is $2,500 and the sheriff’s office has s suspect in mind, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said today.

• A deputy took a report yesterday of a John Deere riding lawn mower stolen from the 200 block of Macomber Road in Chehalis. It disappeared sometime on Friday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• Centralia police took a report yesterday of a welder stolen from a garage on the 1900 block of Foxglove Lane. It went missing sometime during the previous week, according to the Centralia Police Department.

PICKUP RAMS LOG TRUCK

• The state patrol blames inattention for a wreck last evening on Interstate 5 in Chehalis in which a pickup truck struck a log truck that was on the shoulder. Trooper were called just before 5 p.m. to the southbound lanes near the Chamber of Commerce Way interchange. Mark R. Schley, 40, of Wenatchee, was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital with injuries to his head, neck and abdomen, according to the state patrol. His 1995 Chevrolet pickup was described as totaled. The tractor and its trailer, driven by Patrick Eberle of Salkum, sustained an estimated $10,000 damage, the state patrol said. Drugs or alcohol were believed to be involved, according to the patrol.

Littlerock man given three-plus years for injury hit and run at scouting event

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Twenty-four-year-old Kody Chipman was sentenced today to just under three and a half years in prison for a March hit and run in which two men were seriously injured.

The south Thurston county resident, who most recently lived in Littlerock, was found guilty last week by a jury of two counts of vehicular assault and also hit and run.

Dee L. Cooper, 70, of Olympia, and Daniel I. Kitchings, 37, of Rainier, were attending a scout meeting off of South Bay Road when Chipman put his car in reverse and drove off following a confrontation about Chipman speeding, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Chipman’s grandmother, Sharon Hallman, was at Thurston County Superior Court this morning when a judge gave her grandson a 40 month sentence.

“We think the sentence is fair,” Hallman stated.
•••

Read background here

Read more here

Read about attorney for 13-year-old said fatal shooting of father was accident …

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The Olympian reports the grandfather and an attorney say it was an accident when a 13-year-old Littlerock boy fatally shot his sleeping father on Sunday night.

News reporter Jeremy Pawloski writes the boy went before a commissioner in Thurston County Juvenile Court yesterday following the death of his father, Jimmie Asher Jr, 39.

Read more here

And even more from this afternoon, here

Fiery night in south Thurston County

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Two women were hospitalized for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out  in their home north of Littlerock early this morning.

Members of West Thurston Regional Fire Authority were joined by two other fire departments at the home on the 2800 block of 76th Avenue Southwest just after 4 a.m., according to Fire Chief Robert Scott.

The fire was contained to the furnace area and determined to be electrical, Scott said. The women’s condition’s were not life-threatening, he said.

Less than two hours later, firefighters were called to a home in Rochester in which a couple woke up to smoke detectors; crews found fire coming out of a wall behind a chimney, Scott said.

The wood stove had not been used in a day or two, but apparently a build-up of creosote has been smoldering and ignited two walls, he said.

Crews opened up the wall to extinguish the flames and evacuated the smoke from the single-story residence, according to Scott. It happened on the 9100 block of 173rd Avenue Southwest.

The two house fires followed a barn-shop fire west of Tenino last night on the 16800 block of Tilley Road South.

Thurston County Fire District 12 was joined by Rochester-area firefighters after the 9:23 p.m. call.

Scott said there was significant damage to the building.

“On arrival, it was about 50 percent involved, the knock-down was real fast,” District 12 Battalion Chief Jim Fowler said this morning. “They did overhaul for about two hours.”

No injuries were reported.

Woman robbed at knifepoint in Centralia

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Centralia woman fought off a knife-wielding purse snatcher who confronted her when she pulled into the driveway of her home last night, according to police.

Officers were called just before 10 p.m. to the 1000 block of Alder Street and conducted a search with a police dog but didn’t find the male subject, Officer John Panco said this morning.

There was no indication in the police report either the 45-year-old woman or her attacker were hurt, he said.

Panco said he confronted her as she exited her vehicle, put a knife to her chest or neck and demanded her purse.

“At first, she thought it was a joke,” Panco said.

The woman grabbed the knife or his hand, they fought a little bit, going to the ground and he got up and took off, with the purse, according to Panco.

The male was described as wearing a gray or brown “hoodie” and she thought he was about 5-feet 7-inches tall, Panco said.

The search did lead to possible suspects, but no arrest has been made, according to police.

Panco said he didn’t know if the woman chose to fight to try to keep her purse or to defend herself from the knife.

“We never ever recommend putting yourself in a position where you’re going to get hurt, but people react differently in different situations,” he said.