Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 23rd, 2017
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Updated at 2:37 p.m.

STOLEN VEHICLE

• A deputy was called to the 2000 block of Taylor Street in Centralia about 4:15 p.m. on Saturday where a woman reported her blue 1993 Chevrolet pickup truck vanished shortly after she parked it in a friend’s driveway. It has a license plate reading B83249N, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

STOLEN BANK CARDS

• Police on Saturday detained two people in relation to a shoplifting investigation at the 1200 block of Lum Road in Centralia and allegedly discovered they had stolen credit cards. Tanya R. Griffith, 41 of Centralia, and Randy J. Fjeld, 44 of Renton, were arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree possession of stolen property, according to the Centralia Police Department. Police report Fjeld also had meth in his possession.

DRUGS

• A 53-year-old Centralia man contacted about 2:20 p.m. on Friday at the 100 block of Downie Road in Chehalis and taken in to custody for an outstanding warrant was arrested also for possession of methamphetamine. Randy J. Toups was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

REPORT OF CHILD ABUSE

• Centralia police were called on Friday afternoon to take a report about suspected molestation of two small children, according to the Centralia Police Department. The case was turned over to detectives, according to police.

UNWELCOME VISITORS

• A deputy was called about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday to the 100 block of Wilcox Road in Salkum where a woman allegedly had let herself in to an acquaintance’s home, cooked and ate some of her food, went through her wallet and fell asleep on her couch, while the resident was not there. Georgia L. Miller, 56, from Salkum, was located, arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for residential burglary, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

• Centralia police responded to an approximately 1:10 a.m. call on Friday to the 1300 block of Lakeshore Drive where they arrested a 28-year-old homeless man after motel guests woke up to find him in their room. Michael J. Miller was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree trespassing, according to the Centralia Police Department.

CAR PROWL

• Centralia police were called just after 9 p.m. on Saturday for a vehicle prowl at the 300 block of South Cedar Street. A wallet and cell phone were taken, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• An officer was called just after 7 p.m. on Saturday to the Twin City Town Center in Chehalis where a shopper returned to her vehicle after being parked for 10 minutes and discovered someone had taken a multi-colored, metallic looking wallet from the glove box area, according to the Chehalis Police Department. The brand is Hobo, according to police.

• Chehalis police were called at 12:45 p.m. on Friday to the 10 block of Northeast Division Street where someone had prowled a car and tried to remove its passenger seat, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

FAKE BILLS

• Chehalis police were called about 10:30 a.m. yesterday to the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue regarding the receipt of four counterfeit $20 bills.

• Centralia police were called to the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue about 11:50 a.m. yesterday to take a report of the receipt of a counterfeit bill the day before.

• Police were called just after noon on Saturday to a store on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia regarding the receipt of two counterfeit $20 bills.

• Centralia police were called to a retail store on the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia at 7:45 a.m. on Friday regarding two counterfeit bills being accepted there.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• A deputy was called about 2:45 a.m. today to the 500 block of Park Road near Winlock where a Toyota 4Runner had left the roadway, broke a utility pole and left power lines down, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The truck had struck a mailbox and damaged two PUD boxes, according to the sheriff’s office. No driver was located, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor domestic assault, third-degree theft, protection order violation, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, harassment, shoplifting, hit and run, vehicle collision, suicidal person, suspicious circumstances … and more among 382 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 72-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Clothes dryer ignites house fire

January 22nd, 2017
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Firefighters from four departments extinguish house fire today on Avery Road West. / Courtesy photo by Derrick Paul

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Two people and a baby escaped injuries today when a small explosion caught their laundry room on fire in a house south of Napavine.

Firefighters were called just after 11 a.m. to the two-story home on the 400 block of Avery Road West and extinguished the fire, according to Lewis County Fire District 5.

They were joined by personnel from Lewis County Fire Districts 15, 2 and 7, according to District 5’s Laura Hanson.

Fire Investigator Derrick Paul said the brother, sister and her infant were home at the time but got out. He found a faulty gas clothes dryer caused the blaze.

There was extensive damage throughout the residence, according to Paul. Hanson described it as a total loss and noted an adjacent structure was damaged as well.

Ex-government employee admits stealing thousands from account she managed

January 20th, 2017
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Centralia woman April Kelley is allowed to leave the courtroom free on her personal recognizance after pleading guilty to first-degree theft.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The now-former social services manager for Lewis County acknowledged today she stole more than $100,000 from a bank account she was responsible for as treasurer.

April K. Kelley, 35, was arrested and charged in September after an investigation conducted by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The Centralia woman has remained out of jail on $20,000 bail.

She went before a judge today in Lewis County Superior Court, with more than a dozen supporters seated in the benches behind her.

Kelley pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree theft, committed over a less than four-year period ending in the spring of 2014. Six counts of forgery were dropped in a plea agreement struck with the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.

Kelley worked at the Lewis County Department of Public Health & Social Services, and in that capacity, served as treasurer for the Association of County Human Services. The money was discovered missing when a new treasurer took over.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge Andrew Toybnee asked Kelley if she understood the elements of the crime, the maximum penalty, if she had any questions and pointed out a box of kleenex as she sniffled.

“Do you understand what the prosecutor will be recommending?” Toynbee asked. “Yes,” Kelley responded.

Each of the counts carries aggravating factors with Kelley admitting to committing a major economic offense and using her position of trust and fiduciary responsibility to carry out the crimes.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said he plans to ask for a 10 year sentence.

She was allowed to leave court today, on her personal recognizance and return on Feb. 8 for that hearing. Meyer said he will be asking that day she be taken directly into custody.

The prosecutor has tallied up a bit more than $196,000 in restitution that Kelley will be responsible for. About $28,000 of that is for an audit fee and $5,000 for expert accountant fees.

At one point the defendant realized the association didn’t have enough funds to cover amounts due and got money from a family member to prevent detection of the losses, according to Meyer. The approximately $49,000 she deposited will reduce the restitution amount, he said.

Defense attorney Shane O’Rourke said he wasn’t prepared to speak about how much time he will recommend for his client, as he wants the judge to hear it from him first.

However, the standard sentencing range for the offense is 22 to 29 months in prison, he said. And under the law, an option for a first time offender is zero to 90 days in jail, he said.
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For background, read “News brief: Former treasurer set to plead guilty in theft case” from Thursday January 12, 2017, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 20th, 2017
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ARSON AT COLLEGE

• Police were called to Centralia College about 6:20 p.m. yesterday following the discovery a small fire had been set to a paper flyer taped on a wall. It burned itself out before it was found, but left scorch marks, according to the Centralia Police Department. The incident is under investigation, according to police.

THEFT, THEFT, THEFT

• Centralia police were called to the 200 block of North Oak Street about 5:50 p.m. yesterday to take a report of the theft of a chainsaw, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• Police were called about 1:15 a.m. today to the 700 block of Northwest Ohio Avenue in Chehalis for a suspected vehicle prowl.

• Chehalis police were called about 9:20 a.m. yesterday to the 1500 block of North National Avenue following the discovery that during the night, someone had cut a padlock to a trailer. It was not immediately apparent if anything was missing, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

DRUGS

• James A. Nix, 50 of Centralia, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine after contact with an officer about 2:10 p.m. yesterday at the 500 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Centralia Police Department.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Firefighters were called just before 7:30 a.m. today for a wreck in which a car landed off the road on its side with the driver trapped at the 600 block of Meier Road outside Winlock. They were able to help her out without using any of their tools and she was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital with minor injuries, according to Lewis County Fire District 15.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor assault, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, civil issue, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 156 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

Centralia wife’s murder trial postponed

January 19th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Attorneys told a judge today the trial for the Centralia woman charged with second-degree murder in the death of her husband should be pushed off into the future.

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Janet L. Anderson

Janet L. Anderson, 39, has been held in the Lewis County Jail since she was arrested last month. Forty-one-year-old Ty Anderson’s body was located in their bedroom wrapped in a tarp, with a bullet hole in the back of his neck and another in his lower back, prosecutors have said.

She was charged in Lewis County Superior Court on Dec. 19 and a trial date was set for the week of Feb. 13.

Centralia defense attorney Shane O’Rourke today requested and was granted the postponement, until the week of May 8.

O’Rourke said he could tell early on based on the complexities the real trial date would be further down the road. But it’s standard practice at arraignments to put it on the court schedule within the required amount of time, he said.

“I gauged this one at six to nine months in terms of total time frame,” he said today.

Janet Anderson turned herself in to police the morning of Dec. 17, said she and her husband had been arguing at their home off of West Oakview Avenue and he grabbed his gun and pointed it at her. Prosecutors have said the shooting could have occurred as long as 12 hours earlier.

She has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $1 million bail.
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For background, read “Centralia wife pleads not guilty to murder” from Friday December 23, 2016, here

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

January 19th, 2017
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Updated at 5:24 p.m.

MOM STOPPED FOR DUI, WHILE BABY SLEEPS AT HOME ALONE

• A 24-year-old Winlock woman was booked into jail last night after she was detained for driving under the influence while her 9-month-old baby was home alone in an unlocked house. Deputies were notified by the Washington State Patrol just before 11:35 p.m. they had Brandy N. Hunter in custody, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies arrived to the home on the 100 block of Highland Road, went inside and found the infant boy sleeping in a crib, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. Hunter said she had been drinking and went to help some friends, Breen said. She reportedly told the deputy she drove to Wal-Mart to meet a friend and give them money, then the friend asked for a ride to the casino; she was pulled over on Interstate 5 in north Centralia, according to Breen.  Hunter was arrested for second-degree abandonment of a dependent person and the child was released into his father’s custody, according to the sheriff’s office. Prosecutors chose not to file that charge today, pending further investigation.

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

• A 33-year-old Winlock man was arrested last night for allegedly tackling his significant other to the ground in their driveway and choking her. A deputy dispatched to the 400 block of Hawkins Road in Winlock at 10:30 p.m. found the victim had bruises on her neck and forearm as well as some lacerations, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. William D. Taylor III was arrested for second-degree assault and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office. Prosecutors declined to file the felony charge today and moved the case to Lewis County District Court.

• A 41-year-old Packwood man was arrested for second-degree assault last night after deputies were called to a physical dispute at the 200 block of Crescent Beach Drive in Packwood. His significant other who was found with scrapes, bruises and a swollen lip said he began to beat her up and choke her after she confronted him about another female, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Evans I. Kanyingi had minor scratches on his face and would not provide any information about the incident, according to the sheriff’s office. He was  booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office. Prosecutors declined to file the felony charge today and moved the case to Lewis County District Court.

DRUGS

• A 28-year-old man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine after he was searched when detained for an outstanding warrant following a traffic stop at Southwest 13th Street and McFadden Avenue in Chehalis last night. Brian A. Williams, of Chehalis, was a passenger in the vehicle that was pulled over, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

FIRE

• Chehalis police were called just before 1:30 p.m. yesterday to the 1000 block of Southwest 20th Street for alleged reckless burning. The case is being investigated, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, shoplifting, driving with no license, driving with suspended license, driving under the influence; responses for alarm, civil issue, third-degree theft, disorderly person, vehicle collision, suspicious circumstances … and more among 149 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Missing woman located safe in Tumwater

January 19th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Thurston County authorities found the woman they were looking for yesterday, who had been missing since Tuesday.

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Carol Biehl

Carol A. Biehl, 69, was located at 9 o’clock last night in Tumwater, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

Sgt. Carla Carter said in a message this morning that Biehl is safe.

The sheriff’s office had asked for the public’s help as they looked for Biehl or her car as she has dementia and has heart conditions.
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For background, read “News brief: Woman missing from Thurston County” from Wednesday January 18, 2017, here