FROM THE COURTHOUSE
• The former treasurer for the Morton Athletic Association was given no jail time but ordered to pay restitution and fines after she pleaded guilty to first-degree theft today in connection with misappropriated M.A.A. funds that were kept in the Morton bank where she worked. Sarah J. Erskine, 34, of Morton, paid back the money she took before the case was brought to the attention of police, lawyers said today. Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg and defense attorney Don Blair both asked the judge to sentence Erskine to zero days in jail. Blair said his client knew it wasn’t right but her husband lost his logging job in 2011 and she used the funds to make ends meet at home, periodically replacing them. Charging documents initially alleged the amount in question to be upwards of $12,000. Blair said Erskine even borrowed money to pay back $3,000 she didn’t think she owed but the association did. Eisenberg said Erskine believes she’s paid it all back but he’s looking further as it seems there still may a few hundred dollars owed. Eisenberg said in this case the social stigma of a felony and the secondary consequences such as losing her voting and firearms rights seems to be enough of a punishment. Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler agreed.
THEFT
• A wedding ring and several pairs of ear rings were reported stolen from a residence on the 600 block of F Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police yesterday.
• Police were called yesterday afternoon about charges on a person’s credit cad which were unauthorized in connection with the the 500 block of Hillkress Street in Centralia .
• Centralia police took a report yesterday afternoon regarding a wallet stolen from a vehicle while it was parked at an individual’s workplace on the 1000 block of West Main Street.
CAMERA MAN
• Chehalis police were called about a man taking pictures near Chehalis Middle School yesterday. It was a third-hand report and while an officer has not found the man or the person who saw it, a check on the vehicle he was driving didn’t turn up anything concerning, according to the Chehalis Police Department.
WRECKS
• Two cars were totaled and two two people injured after a collision this morning on westbound state Route 508 about seven miles west of Morton. Troopers called about 8:45 a.m. to the scene near Dodge Road found a Honda Accord tried to pass a Ford Pinto attempting to make a left turn. Roze L. Tronsen, 26, of Palouse, and Bret D. Dearth, of Spokane, 42, were both transported to Morton General Hospital, according to the state patrol.
• A 22-year-old motorist apparently escaped with no injury when his car went into the river off state Route 508 near Carlisle Road in Onalaska yesterday afternoon, according to the Washington State Patrol. A spokesperson for the state patrol said this morning they didn’t know much about it as the driver, Ryan Andrade, crawled out and called from home at about 1:20 p.m. A tow company was called to remove the1991 Honda Accord from the water, Trooper Will Finn said.
AND MORE
• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, driving without a license, misdemeanor assault; responses for alarms, shoplifting, someone writing on a wall at the Juvenile Justice Center; complaint about barking dogs … and more.
Ryan Andrade’s Honda sits off the roadway yesterday. / Courtesy photo by Washington State Patrol
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Wait…so now we call the cops because some dude is walking near a school with a camera?
ARE YOU FREAKIN’ KIDDING ME?
Dude is minding his own business engaging in a hobby, getting some fresh air, and we call the cops on him because of that?!?
What the HELL is the matter with people?
It’s not illegal to take pictures. Even if he pointed his camera at a kid walking down the street, not illegal.
I drive 508 often. I do it at 55 mph, too fast for a hwy w/ rough surface, many curves, and w/o shoulders or turnoff lanes. Almost always some young buck or premenopausal female is on my bumper urging me to go 60 or 65. Maybe S curves are a way of clearing the gene pool of ADDs, ADHDs, OCD, &c.
A lot of accidents on 508 lately. I drove by the one with the car in the river and wondered what had happened. Its a dangerous road because some fly down it at around 65, and others go 40. Maybe it’s time they lowered the speed limit. So many driveways and few shoulders.
Steal money and you get a slap on the wrist. Oh boo hoo, she loses her voting and gun priveleges. I guess maybe she and the judge are good friends, huh?
Maybe the prosecutor and police, lawyers, and judges should treat all first degree theft cases just as they did with this one above. The little thief got lucky cuz I do believe that a first time offense is 30 days to a year, and then again anything over $750.00 is a bigger sentence. Just WOW!
The wreck near onalaska was down by the S curves, probably 4 or five miles away from Carlisle… Which is an Avenue. There is also a Carlisle Lane…