DRIVER OF ABANDONED JEEP ARRESTED
• The motorist who slid off Bunker Creek Road yesterday morning and got a ride to work, leaving her Jeep Cherokee partially submerged in a creek was arrested for third-degree driving with a suspended license as well as hit and run with property damage. Deputies and the fire department responded about 7:30 a.m. to the scene, and spent quite a bit of time trying to find and rescue any possible victims, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. She should have called and reported it, Sgt. Rob Snaza said. “You’ve got people in the water, worried about her, a halfway submerged vehicle, firefighters jumping in trying to see if she’s in there,” Snaza said. “You know, taking all these life saving measures, and she’s at her workplace and didn’t think to call.” Elyse A. Skeen, 55, of Chehalis, who was located finally at the Adna store, had slid on black ice, according to responders. “When asked why she didn’t call, she said she just didn’t,” Snaza said. The damage portion of her alleged offense was to a culvert, according to Snaza. Skeen was booked into the Lewis County Jail. Her vehicle, which had come to rest on its driver’s side in four to six feet of water in Prairie Creek sustained major front end damage and was impounded.
BREAK-INS AND THEFT
• Centralia police say a 34-year-old Toledo man was arrested about 12:30 a.m. today after he was identified as being the person inside a storage unit at the 1100 block of Brotherson Road trying to steal property. Joshua J. Williams, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to Centralia Police Department.
• Centralia police were called just before 11 a.m. yesterday to the 1100 block of South Pearl Street about a burglary to a residence. Officer have possible suspect information and the case is under investigation, according to the Centralia Police Department.
• Someone stole more than $1,000 worth of equipment from a boat parked at the 100 block of Boshart Lane near Mossyrock during a nighttime prowling incident, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s office. A deputy responded yesterday and learned someone came onto the property around 4 a.m. on Tuesday and left with a flare gun, a depth finder, a two-way marine radio and four fishing poles with reels, Sgt. Rob Snaza said.
• A 41-year-old Centralia man was arrested yesterday in connection with an ongoing trafficking stolen property case and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine when he was detained, according to the Centralia Police Department. Eric J. Bates, contacted just before 2 p.m. at the 2600 block of North Pearl Street, was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.
WIRING BLAMED FOR HOUSE FIRE
• The source of the fire that broke out in an Onalaska home last home last week turned out to be a short in an electrical outlet in an upstairs bedroom. Crews called on the evening of Feb. 12 to the two-story house at the 1800 block of state Route 508 found most of the damage in between the ceiling on the first floor and the floor of the upper level, according to the fire chief. The owner was away. Fire Investigator Jay Birley said he was able to track down the owner fairly quickly; he has a second home in another state, he said. The wiring in the master bedroom outlet had begun smoldering and ignited the blaze, according to Birley. He estimated the loss at about $25,000.
COLLISION
• A 52-year-old Chehalis woman was hospitalized after a two-vehicle accident on Interstate 5 just north of Napavine yesterday. It happened around 1 p.m. when there was quite a bit of hail on the ground, according to responders. Troopers called to the northbound lanes near milepost 74 learned a pickup truck slowed for traffic and Julie A. Chavez’s Ford Focus ran into its rear end. Both vehicles had to be towed and Chavez, 52, was transported to providence Centralia Hospital because of potential serious injuries, according to responders. She was to be cited for following too closely, according to the Washington State Patrol.