Archive for September, 2013

Sharyn’s Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Monday, September 30th, 2013

UNRULY INMATE

• An 18-year-old inmate-student at Green Hill School for boys was arrested for custodial assault after allegedly kicking and punching workers who tried to remove him from his cell when he broke something with a toilet seat. It happened on Friday morning at the state-run juvenile detention facility on Southwest 11th Street in Chehalis, according to police.

STOLEN STUFF

• Police were called just after noon on Friday to the 400 block of West Main Street in Centralia regarding the theft of gas and parts stolen from a vehicle. Police have identified a suspect, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DISPUTES

• A 33-year-old Centralia man was arrested about 11:20 p.m. on Saturday for allegedly fighting in a park on the 700 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia. James D. Sutherland was arrested for disorderly conduct and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Deputies called about 9 p.m. on Saturday to a physical dispute at the 1400 block of state Route 6 west of Chehalis ended up arresting Jamie L. Costalaz, 34, Chehalis, for possession of methamphetamine. One count of misdemeanor assault will be recommended in connection with the case as well, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

DRUGS

• Police arrested a 37-year-old Centralia woman for possession of methamphetamine and a warrant about 11:15 p.m. on Friday after contacting her at the 500 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia. Kati J. Bocook was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 28-year-old man from Kent was arrested for possession of both methamphetamine and heroin after he was contracted by police at the 1500 block of Delaware Avenue in Centralia on Friday night. Steven C.M. Elmendorf, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.  He is being released without charges pending further investigation.

VANDALISM

• A 15-year-old boy was arrested about 10 p.m. on Saturday after he was caught allegedly painting graffiti on buildings in the 500 block of North Tower Avenue in Centralia. The suspect was booked into the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Two people fromTacoma were arrested for allegedly attempting to break onto a coin box of the tire air machine at the Shell station on Williams Street in Mossyrock on Thursday. An officer responding around 1 a.m. contacted Benton N. Gilleo, 46, and Kristine D. Riggs, 44, according to the Morton Police Department. Both were cited for numerous misdemeanors and then released pending their court dates, according to police.

WRECKS

• A 20-year-old man was arrested for driving under the influence as well as reckless driving when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree on the 800 block of South Street in Centralia on Friday night. Officers responding about 10:40 p.m. found a passenger was injured, according to the Centralia Police Department. Enrique Z. Tennison, from Spanaway, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• Centralia police responded to a school bus versus vehicle minor collision just before 1 p.m. on Friday at North Pearl Street and Fremont Avenue. There were no injuries, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• The 21-year-old driver of the van that rolled several times before coming to rest on its side in a ditch along the 400 block of Coal Creek Road in Chehalis late Saturday afternoon is to be cited for speeds too fast for conditions, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Melissa R. Hall failed to negotiate a curve, according to the sheriff’s office. The Chehalis woman and her passenger from Castle Rock, also 21 years old, were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital. The 2004 Nissan Quest was described by the sheriff’s office as totaled.

AND MORE

• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, violating protection order, driving with suspended license, shoplifting; responses for alarms, minor and non-injury collisions, stolen cell phones, bar dispute, family dispute, homeless cats, suspicious persons, possible burglary, suspected drunken driver, vehicle rolling into mailboxes, suspicious circumstances in that lug nuts on a vehicle may have been loosened by someone (or come loose on their own);  complaint of teenagers having sex inside a car … and more.

Breaking news: Strong-arm robbery suspect sought in Chehalis

Monday, September 30th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A worker at Jack-in-the-Box in Chehalis was robbed of a bank bag this morning and police have yet to find the thief.

Officers called about 9 a.m. to the 100 block of Interstate Avenue near the freeway learned the manager was out back when she was confronted by a man in his late 20s, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

“The dude stepped out from behind a bush, grabbed the bag and ran,” detective Sgt. Gary Wilson said.

The woman was unhurt, he said.

A track was conducted a with a police dog, but was unsuccessful, he said.

The man was wearing a dark hoodie and described only as a white male wearing a dark hoodie, according to Wilson. The bank deposit bag contained only about $300, according to police.

Police nearly open fire on Rochester man with cap gun

Monday, September 30th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Rochester resident is “extremely” fortunate he didn’t get shot when he allegedly pointed a very real looking toy gun at police on a busy Centralia street yesterday afternoon.

Officers were called about 1 p.m. to a report a man was walking up the 1200 block of North Pearl Street waving a pistol in the air and pointing it at people, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Sgt. Stacy Denham said the man aimed his gun at two officers, who had their weapons drawn but didn’t fire because innocent people in oncoming cars could have been hit.

The subject continued to walk closer to a residential area and ignore police commands, while the officers followed him until backup arrived, Denham said.

Denham said when he got on the scene, he positioned his patrol car to protect block vehicles which had pulled to the side of the road.

“I was able to see the gun in his right hand, finally he stopped, turned and faced me,” Denham said. “I drew my pistol. He dropped his.”

The all black cap gun from the front looked exactly like a snub nosed pistol, Denham said.

Roy A. Dever, 53, is from Rochester. Police don’t know exactly what he was up to, Denham said.

“The only thing he did say, along with a lot of other rantings, he wished he would have forced us to shoot him,” Denham said.

Denham said he did have a clear shot at the man in that final moment.

“He’s extremely lucky he didn’t get shot,” he said.

Dever was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for three counts of first-degree assault.

News brief: Four injured in Saturday crashes

Sunday, September 29th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 19-year-old Silver Creek resident is listed in serious condition this afternoon following a wreck last night in which his Ford Bronco ran off state Route 508 and into a tree.

Troopers called about 8:30 p.m. to the scene approximately two miles west of Onalaska found the vehicle was totaled, according to the Washington State Patrol. Cody G. Birdwell was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital and then transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with his injuries, according to the state patrol.

According to the investigating trooper, Birdwell was eastbound and traveling too fast when he lost control of his 1984 Bronco and served off the road. Defective tires contributed as well, according to the trooper.

Also yesterday, a 35-year-old Chehalis man was going too fast when he took the southbound Interstate 5 offramp at milepost 71 near Napavine, left the roadway to the right and came to rest in the ditch.

A trooper called about 10:50 p.m. reports Jared N. Collins was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital and then on to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. His GMC pickup was damaged and towed; Collins faces a charge of driving under the influence, according to the trooper.

And two women were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital following an approximately 5:15 p.m. wreck on the 400 block of Coal Creek Road in Chehalis. Firefighters responding to the scene found a van on its side, according to Lewis County Fire District 6.

One of the occupants was more seriously injured than the other, according to Firefighter Kyle Eiswald.
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CORRECTION: This news item has been updated to reflect the correct title for Firefighter Kyle Eiswald.

News brief: Second weekend storm on its way

Sunday, September 29th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A powerful and damaging windstorm forecast for tonight is expected to make landfall much farther north but could bring gusts of up to 55 mph to the areas around Centralia and Olympia.

Also, several inches of rain are expected to drive the Newaukum River in Lewis County and the Skokomish River in Mason County above flood stage tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

The wind advisory and flood warning were issued around noon today. This is round two of weekend bad weather.

Winds in the local area could blow 20 to 35 mph, with the strongest expected this evening, according to the weather service.

Minor flooding is predicted with many roads and areas around the Newaukum and its forks to become inundated with water. The Newaukum River should crest about 11 a.m. tomorrow, about one foot above flood stage, according to the forecasters.

A flood watch was put into place through tomorrow morning for the lower Chehalis River in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties.

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Follow the river levels and weather alerts with links on the right hand sidebar of this page.

Also, watch for up-to-the-minute reports from your neighbors around greater Lewis County on Lewis County Siren’s Facebook page.

Prosecutor: Big Bottom bust informant not reliable

Saturday, September 28th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The one remaining person from this summer’s so-called Big Bottom Bust in Randle is a free man after prosecutors dismissed his drug charges.

Marty Joe Mullins, 48, was among seven individuals charged in Lewis County Superior Court with delivery of methamphetamine after the June raids in which 10 people were jailed.

2013.0607.randledrugbuststhree_2small

June 7, 2013, Randle

Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said the only evidence he had Mullins sold meth came from the confidential informant whose credibility is tainted by mental health issues.

“Our informant committed a new offense himself, and quite frankly, he’s not reliable,” Meagher said yesterday.

Mullins had been charged with two counts of delivery, based on transactions that purportedly occurred last April and May at his home on Kiona Road.

Meagher went to a judge a week ago Friday and got the case dismissed. It’s dismissed without prejudice, meaning if someday the informant is reliable again, the charges can be refiled, Meagher said.

Meagher said the informant was arrested for harassment, but he likely won’t be filing a charge against him.

The operation that included some 25 law enforcement personnel and was coordinated by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Regional Task Force included 14 undercover “buys” conducted by the same person, according to authorities.

The informant’s contact information in court documents is listed as sheriff’s detective Jeffrey Humphrey who remains on paid administrative leave after getting arrested earlier this month for driving under the influence in Chehalis. Two weeks ago, Meagher said only “maybe” as to whether Humphrey’s situation would affect Mullins’ case.

The other six individuals have all made plea deals, with three of them already sentenced for possession. Three of them have not yet been sentenced.

The June law enforcement action was named after the Big Bottom Valley some 50 miles east of Interstate 5 in which it took place.
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For background, read “Seven charged for dealing meth in Randle” from Tuesday June 11, 2013, here

News brief: ‘Crazed’ assault victim tries to drive away in police car

Saturday, September 28th, 2013

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 35-year-old woman was arrested yesterday for allegedly attempting to steal a police car in the parking lot at the King Oscar Motel in Centralia.

Officers were called about 3:30 p.m. to the 1000 block of Eckerson Road when an individual reported witnessing a woman get assaulted. The suspect was gone and when police tried to talk with the apparent victim, she wouldn’t respond and kept walking away, but then suddenly ran and jumped into the front seat of one of the police cruisers, according to the Centralia Police Department.

The key was in the ignition and the car was running, according to police.

Sgt. Stacy Denham said an officer climbed in with her and when the woman put the car in reverse, he threw it into park. They struggled. She put it in drive and he shoved it back into park, Denham said.

The entire time, she was screaming, kicking, scratching and not responding to questions or commands, Denham said. It appeared she was high on some type of drugs, he said.

“She was almost crazed,” he said.

Officers dragged her out of the vehicle and arrested her for third-degree assault and attempted vehicle theft, according to Denham. One officer was reportedly left with several scratches on his hands and arms.

Malynda M. Murphy was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

Denham said this morning police are still trying to locate the assault suspect, but don’t have much information from Murphy about what may have occurred.