Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 31st, 2017
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Updated at 5:56 p.m.

MISSING ROBO-CLEANER

• A robotic vacuum was reported stolen in a burglary at the 300 block of Prairie Rose Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police just after 5 p.m. yesterday.

PORCH PILFERING

• Centralia police were called about 3:20 p.m. yesterday after a package was stolen from the front porch of a home on the 300 block of Hemlock Street in Centralia. A neighbor observed a male suspect walking away from the residence,  according to the Centralia Police Department.

STEALING FUEL

• Centralia police were called just after 5 p.m. yesterday after a male was seen siphoning gas from a vehicle at the 500 block of West Fourth Street in Centralia. He was chased off by a neighbor, no arrest was made, according to the Centralia Police Department.

BUSINESS BURGLARY

• Police were called to the 600 block of South Pearl Street in Centralia at 8:15 a.m. yesterday following the discovery someone had broken in to a business and taken money from the cash register, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Centralia police were called to the 300 block of East Pear Street just before 4 p.m. yesterday where someone had broken in to a coin-operated laundry and stolen money, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A business on the 100 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia reported just after 3 p.m. yesterday that several propane tanks had been stolen from their locked storage container, according to the Centralia Police Department. As of this morning, police had no suspects, according to police.

AUTO THEFT

• Police were called to the 100 block of Hazel Street in Mossyrock about a missing vehicle about 8:20 p.m. on Jan. 23. It is a silver Dodge Ram, according to the Morton Police Department. The case is still under investigation, according to police.

CAR PROWL

• Someone cut though a chain link fence at the 1400 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia and broke into two vehicles there, according to a report made to police about 7:30 a.m. yesterday.

• Morton police were called about 6:40 p.m. on Saturday for a possible vehicle prowl at the 100 block of Third Street.

ID THEFT

• Officers responded to the 300 block of Seventh Street in Morton on Thursday regarding a possible identity theft. The case is pending the receipt of further information, according to the Morton Police Department.

ASSAULT

• Chehalis police were called over to Green Hill School just before 1 p.m. yesterday after an inmate-student allegedly kicked a staff member. Police are awaiting reports on the case, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

CHIMNEY FIRE SPREADS

•  Firefighters called about 7:30 a.m. yesterday when residents of a house on the 1800 block of Pe Ell-McDonald Road noticed smoke in a closet found a chimney fire which had extended into the house, according to Lewis County Fire District 13. The damage is repairable, with an estimate of around $30,000, Chief Gwen Turner said.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, third-degree theft; responses for alarm, civil issue, shoplifting, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 132 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Trio suspected in jewelry heist found in Chehalis

January 31st, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Three suspects were arrested last night at a Chehalis gas station just hours after a courier was assaulted and robbed of nearly a half million dollars worth of jewelry at a SeaTac hotel.

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Courtesy photo by Rachelle Godsey

The victim was walking to his room when he was confronted by three masked men who took his bag of valuables, slashed a tire on his vehicle and then fled, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office. It was reported just after 6 p.m.

Just after 8 p.m., Washington State Patrol trooper spotted the suspect vehicle at the Arco station at the 13th Street and Interstate 5 interchange, according to authorities.

Chehalis resident Jennifer Moliga and her husband were on their way home from shopping and about to pull in to get fuel, but changed their minds.

“We get off the freeway and on the right side, at AM/PM, there were just cop cars everywhere,” she said. “We could see, we counted on one side six cop cars.”

Moliga said they seemed to be blockading the entrance and had two guys sitting in front of the store on the sidewalk.

King County sheriff’s Sgt. Cindi West said three suspects were arrested and transported back to King County to be booked for robbery.

The bag of jewelry is presumably inside the suspects’ vehicle, which was impounded and will be searched later today, West said.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 30th, 2017
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Updated at 5:26 p.m.

HIT AND RUN

• Centralia police were called just before 3:30 p.m. yesterday to a business on the 1200 block of Lum Road where an employee attempting to stop a theft suspect stood behind the suspect’s vehicle and was backed into, according to the Centralia Police Department. The employee was uninjured and the suspect fled, according to police. The investigation is ongoing.

HIT AND BREAK TOOTH

• Centralia police took a report of an assault at the 400 block of West Main Street at about 4:35 p.m. on Saturday in which the victim’s tooth was broken. The investigation is ongoing, according to the Centralia Police Department.

COUNTERFEIT CASE

• Two people were arrested just before 4 p.m. yesterday at the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia after an off-duty officer recognized them from a counterfeiting case he’d been working on.  Amanda Lopez 35, of Centralia, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for forgery and also an outstanding warrant, according to the Centralia Police Department. John Lopez, 36, also of Centralia, was booked for forgery and for possession of methamphetamine, according to police.

DRUGS

• A 30-year-old Winlock driver pulled over at Ninth Street and McFadden Avenue in Chehalis about 8:15 a.m. on Friday was found to have outstanding misdemeanor warrants and then once at the jail, allegedly in possession of methamphetamine, according to the Chehalis Police Department. Joseph M. Gomes was  booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

GUNS STOLEN

• Police were called about 6:30 p.m. on Friday to take a report of the theft of two firearms from a residence on the 1600 block of Sunset Way in Centralia.

TOOLS TAKEN

• Centralia police were called about 10:30 a.m. yesterday following the discovery of an overnight break-in to a shed at the 900 block of Woodland Avenue. Tools were taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

PROPANE PILFERING

• Centralia police were called just before 8 a.m. on Saturday to the 200 block of North Rock Street to take a report that two propane tanks and small propane heater has been stolen.

• An officer was called regarding the theft of a propane tank from the 100 block of North Washington Avenue in Centralia about 5:15 p.m. on Friday.

TV THEFT

• A television was stolen from the 600 block of J Street in Centralia, according to a report made to police about 10:20 a.m. on Friday.

BURGLARY CHEHALIS

• Chehalis police were called about 11:10 a.m. on Friday about a burglary to a thrift store on the 1800 block of Northeast Kresky Avenue. An officer today was waiting to receive statements for the case, according to the Chehalis Police Department. An officer was called to the same business yesterday evening when “a couple” counterfeit $20 bills were found in the till, according to police.

AUTO THEFT

• Chehalis police were called about 6:15 a.m. on Saturday about a vehicle stolen from the 200 block of James Street. The maroon 2002 Dodge Caravan was warming up outside while the victim was inside, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

• A green 1998 Subaru Legacy was stolen from the 2400 block of Borst Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police at 6:40 p.m. on Friday. It has a license plate reading AOD 6308, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police recovered an abandoned stolen Honda accord from a parking lot at the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia on Friday afternoon.

CAR PROWL

• Police were called for a vehicle prowl about 12:15 a.m. on Saturday at the 300 block of Yew Street in Centralia. Paperwork was taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

BAD IDEA NIPPED IN BUD

• An officer was called about 4:20 p.m. on Friday to take a report from the 100 block of West Chestnut Street in Centralia about threats made to an individual to publish their intimate photos by an acquaintance. No arrest was made, but the subject agreed to delete the pictures, according to the Centralia Police Department.

TARGET SHOOTING GOES AWRY

• The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office believes it was a long-distance shooting accident over Interstate 5 that sent two bullets onto the Great Wolf Lodge property in Grand Mound this weekend. One round hit a person’s arm and fell to the ground and another struck a wall, according to information passed along to Sgt. Carla Carter. They were 22 caliber bullets, according to Carter. It happened about 2:15 p.m. on Saturday and the male victim was not hurt, according to the sheriff’s office. The hotel complex is situated along Old Highway 99, with its backside facing the freeway. Given the scenario, they don’t think the shots were fired from the freeway and a deputy asked questions at a sparse housing development on the east side of Interstate 5 but didn’t find who was responsible, according to Carter’s information.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license, minor in possession of alcohol, third-degree malicious mischief; responses for alarm, civil issue, hit and run, misdemeanor domestic assault, misdemeanor theft, suspicious circumstances … and more among 385 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Des Moines man missing from Cowlitz River fishing area

January 30th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Deputies, along with search and rescue personnel, are looking for a missing man whose vehicle and belongings were located without him when two friends came to the Blue Creek Boat Launch area to fish with him on Saturday morning.

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Prathana Nammavong

Prathana Nammavong, a 43 year old resident of Des Moines, commonly fishes the Cowlitz River in the same area, beginning on Friday and concluding on Sunday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

The friends located a chair and fishing poles belonging to Nammavong approximately a quarter of a mile down the Cowlitz River, near its confluence with Blue Creek, according to the sheriff’s office. The items were on the bank above the river, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

The friends looked for about five hours before reporting him missing at 1:15 p.m., according to Breen.

Breen said responders are on the water this afternoon and a ground search along the banks of the river was conducted earlier today.

The boat launch is south of Ethel, off Spencer Road.

Nammavong was last in contact when he communicated to friends via cellphone on Friday morning, Breen said.

Breen said attempts to locate Nammavong were also made during the weekend using water craft and a K-9. He expects they will continue today until dark.

Anyone with information or who had contact with Nammavong this weekend is asked to please call the sheriff’s office at 360-748-9286 or Lewis County Communications at 360-740-1105.

News brief: Fire consumes Maytown house

January 30th, 2017
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The home is fully involved in flames as crews arrived. /
Courtesy photo by West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The cause of a fire that broke out last night at a home in the Maytown area is under investigation, according to West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

The 2,300-square-foot house, two cars and a motorcycle were destroyed in the blaze at the 12400 block of Tilley Road Southwest, Capt. Lanette Dyer said.

The structure was fully involved in flames when crews arrived following the approximately 6:30 p.m. call, Dyer said. Multiple agencies responded. The property is on Deep Lake near Deep Lake Resort and Millersylvania State Park.

Nobody was home at the time and both the renters and the owner have insurance, she said.

News brief: Sexual exploitation case dismissed

January 27th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Criminal charges have been dropped against a 21-year-old Onalaska man arrested in September in connection with images uploaded by a 15-year-old girl to her Facebook account showing her unclothed private parts.

Cody M. Cothran, 21, was charged in Lewis County Superior Court with sexual exploitation of a minor and third-degree rape of a child.

Of particular interest to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was a photo of the girl with a penis in her mouth, and Facebook text messages allegedly between her and Cothran that suggested an intimate relationship. The information had been forwarded to the sheriff’s office from  the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Melissa Bohm asked a judge last week to dismiss the charges against Cothran. They were dismissed without prejudice on Jan. 19, meaning the state could refile them at a later date, according to Bohm.

Bohm said she met with the girl a few times and just needed more time to investigate.

Cothran’s lawyer, defense attorney David Brown said the alleged victim recanted and said it didn’t happen.
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For background, read “Facebook: Onalaska resident arrested after photo alleged to be with underage girlfriend surfaces” from Friday September 30, 2016, here

News brief: Suspect in Chehalis shooting incident pleads guilty

January 27th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A 36-year-old Chehalis man has pleaded guilty in a case in which a woman standing on a Chehalis home’s porch was shot at twice following an early morning argument.

Andrew C. Skyberg was arrested after the Oct. 7 incident and has been held since in the Lewis County Jail.

Yesterday in Lewis County Superior Court, Skyberg pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.

It happened outside a home on the  600 block of Southwest William Avenue in Chehalis. Nobody was injured.

When Skyberg is sentenced next week, lawyers on the two sides have agreed to recommend he spend 12 years plus eight months in prison.
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For background, read “Bail set at half million dollars for suspected Chehalis shooter” from Monday October 17, 2016, here