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Sheriff Mansfield's December E-Newsletter - Posted at: 2/2/2012 8:37:06 AM

Click here for Sheriff Mansfield's December Newsletter

Notice of Sale of Real Property - Posted at: 1/10/2012 11:50:52 AM

Notice of Sale of Real Property located at 147 SW Cascade Avenue, Chehalis, Lewis County, Washington.

The sale of the above described property is to take place:

Time: 10:00 a.m.
Date: February 10, 2012
Place: Main Entrance Lobby, Old Lewis County
Courthouse, 351 NW North St., Chehalis, WA

Click here for additional information. 

Operation Merry Christmas Nets 8 Arrests - Posted at: 12/23/2011 9:33:33 AM

Lewis County Regional Drug Task Force, along with deputies from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, the Centralia Police Department, Department of Corrections, and the Washington State Patrol, arrested eight people in “Operation Merry Christmas” on 12/22/11. 

The arrests resulted from a three month ongoing investigation by the Lewis County Regional Drug Task Force. At approximately 0900 hours on 12/22/11, a search warrant was served in the 100 block of Edmonds Road relating to the investigation. Arrested were:

• Sherri J. Hamrick, 46, of Packwood, for four counts of Delivery of Methamphetamine.
• James D. Hamrick, 29, of Packwood, for two counts of Delivery of Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of Firearm.
• Amaris R. Smith, 21, of Packwood, for Possession of Methamphetamine.

At approximately noon, a search warrant was served in the 6300 block of US Highway 12, Packwood. Arrested were:

• Brandon Piatt, 31, of Glenoma, for four counts of Delivery of Methamphetamine.
• Sheila Schmitt, 44, of Morton, for Possession of Narcotics.

Three others were arrested for unrelated outstanding warrants:

• Bradley J. Miller, 35, of Packwood, was arrested in the 100 block of Mt Rainier Drive, Packwood, at approximately 0940 for an outstanding felony warrant.

• Effren E. Barron, 40, was arrested in the 12900 block of US Highway 12, Packwood, for an outstanding felony warrant at 0920.

• Venus D. Hamilton, 48, was arrested in the 900 block of Davis Lake Road, Morton, at approximately 1130 for Delivery of Methamphetamine.

All subjects mentioned were booked into the Lewis County Jail for their respective offenses.

“More arrests are expected in the east end for related offenses within the next two weeks. One Packwood resident came up to me, gave me a big hug and couldn’t thank us enough for cleaning out the drug dealers in her neighborhood. Santa Claus came to Packwood and Morton a few days early this year,” Sheriff Steve Mansfield said.

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Victim & Detectives Work Together to Make Arrest & Recover Property - Posted at: 12/2/2011 9:07:02 AM

Detectives with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and a 71 year old victim from Onalaska worked together to recover stolen property and make an arrest.

An Onalaska man reported to the Sheriff’s Office on November 4th that someone had stolen his beloved Craftsman Riding Lawnmower, valued at $400. The victim checked Craigslist on a frequent basis hoping his lawnmower would show up on the site. Eventually it did. The victim was able to positively identify the lawnmower by customization to the mower.

The victim called detectives and they hatched a plan together. The detective would pose as the victims “grandson” who had blew up his grandpas riding lawnmower and needed to buy his grandpa another.

The victim and detectives drove to Olympia yesterday (12/01/11) to meet the man selling the lawnmower. The victim identified his lawnmower and Jonathan Michael McClain, 23, of Olympia, was arrested for Trafficking in Stolen Property 1st.  McClain admitted to stealing the lawnmower and told detectives he was planning on selling it to make money to buy something for his girlfriend.

McClain was arrested at approximately 1330 hours and transported to the Lewis County Jail where was booked.

“I am proud of the work this citizen and my detectives put into this case. This case is an excellent example of what can happen when victims work together with deputies on their case. My deputies work hard to follow up on cases and investigate them but having assistance from victims always helps,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

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Lewis County Emergency Operations Center to Close this Afternoon - Posted at: 11/23/2011 2:26:33 PM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Center will close this afternoon after receiving notice from the National Weather Service that the flood warnings have been cancelled for Lewis County. In addition, rivers in Lewis County are maintaining and are not expected to flood. Department of Emergency Management will continue to monitor the weather and rivers and keep the public informed of any potential issues.

Newaukum River is still at stage 1 but appears to be maintaining. It does not appear that the river will flood as previously predicted by the National Weather Service.

Chehalis River at Doty continues to be at stage 1 but appears to have crested and is now dropping.

Chehalis River at Mellen is also below stage 1 but will slowly rise to just below minor flood stage.

Some surface streets are still covered with water so motorists are encouraged to drive carefully and not drive through standing water, if it can be avoided.

Citizens can check the Lewis County website for road condition reports and river readings for further information.

Lewis County Public Works asks citizens to call (360) 740-1123 to report plugged culverts or roadway erosion and/or damage.

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Lewis County Emergency Operations Center Continues to Monitor Weather Conditions - Posted at: 11/23/2011 9:59:26 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Center remains activated today and will continue to monitor weather conditions as the last of the storm moves through the area.

Newaukum River is still at stage 1 but appears to be maintaining. It does not appear that the river will flood as previously predicted by the National Weather Service.

Chehalis River at Doty is still at stage 1 and appears to be maintaining without any increase in flow.

Chehalis River at Mellen is also below stage 1 and has been steadily dropping.

Some surface streets are still covered with water so motorists are encouraged to drive carefully and not drive through standing water, if it can be avoided.

Citizens can check the Lewis County website for road condition reports and river readings for further information.

Lewis County Public Works asks citizens to call (360) 740-1123 to report plugged culverts or roadway erosion and/or damage.

Further information will be forthcoming as it becomes available.

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Several Dog Bites Prompts Sheriff's Office to Remind Dog Owners of County Ordinances - Posted at: 11/22/2011 4:45:05 PM

Deputies from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office have taken reports from five citizens who have been bitten by dogs over the past six weeks. This number of dog bites is high in such a short period of time.

The youngest victim was a 9 year old boy and the oldest victim was 46 years old. Injuries ranged from a Band-Aid to a hospital visit for several sutures.

The dogs responsible for the bites were a Golden Lab, Mixed Breed, Pit Bull, Jack Russell, and Golden Lab/Golden Retriever mix.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reminds dog owners that they can be held responsible both criminally and civilly when their dog bites someone. Lewis County Ordinance 6.05.020 states: It shall be unlawful and a public nuisance for owners or keepers of any animal to permit their animal to:

(2) Snap, snarl, growl, bite, jump at or upon or otherwise threaten persons, or to chase, run after or jump at livestock, domestic animals or vehicles when such persons, livestock or vehicles are not on the property of the owner or keeper of the animal, or are upon the sidewalks, roads or public rights-of-way upon or adjacent to the property of the owner or keeper.

Owners are reminded to ensure their dog is secured and not allowed to wander freely into public spaces or other person’s property. 

The Lewis County Animal Shelter would also like to remind dog owners to keep their dog current on rabies vaccination as well as those recommended by your veterinarian.

Some dog bites are unexpected and unpreventable, but there are many tips to be aware of to prevent being bitten by a dog:

• Never approaching an unfamiliar dog, especially one who's tied or confined behind a fence or in a car.
• Don't pet a dog—even your own—without letting him see and sniff you first.
• Never turn your back to a dog and run away. A dog's natural instinct will be to chase and catch you.
• Don't disturb a dog while it is sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy, or caring for puppies.
• Watch young children very closely when they are around dogs.
• Be cautious around stray dogs.

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Time for 10th Annual Shop with a Cop - Posted at: 11/16/2011 1:14:48 PM

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Association is celebrating the tenth annual Shop With a Cop this year. The Shop With A Cop program brings underprivileged children together with deputies to shop for themselves and their families. Shop With A Cop started ten years ago when the Community Liaison with Wal-Mart contacted Chief Deputy Stacy Brown and began the planning process to bring the program to Lewis County. The program is a national Wal-Mart program. Wal-Mart provides some financial assistance, but the majority of funds for the program comes from donations from employees of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and the public. The program receives invaluable assistance from United Way in the way of office staff to assist in the application, screening, and selection process. United Way staff also assists the day of the event with administrative support.

The startup funds for the program were raised by employees of the Sheriff’s Office. A fundraiser was held to sell Krispy Kreme donuts. Approximately $7,800.00 worth of donuts was sold in one day. The money raised from the donut fundraiser has helped sustain the program for many years. Additional fundraisers have been held over the years to sustain the program.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Shop With A Cop has helped over 235 families in the past nine years. Children from east Lewis County are transported to the event using the East Lewis County Transit bus. The Transit bus has assisted greatly in ensuring children from all over Lewis County get to participate equally.

Deputies are enthusiastic about participating and seem to have as much fun as the kids do. After the deputy and child have completed shopping for their families, they get a ride back to the courthouse in a patrol car. Once at the courthouse, they wrap their gifts, play Bingo for some great prizes, enjoy a pizza dinner – donated by Papa Petes, and visit with deputies and employees of the Sheriff’s Office. Last year, the grand prize for the Bingo game was a Nintendo 3DS.

The kids chosen to participate are extremely grateful for the gifts they are allowed to buy for their families. The children are usually more worried about their family members than they are themselves. Many deputies have reported in the past that the child they shopped with simply wanted basic necessities such as socks, shoes, and school supplies. Often, deputies pay for those things themselves and let the children pick out toys for their gifts.

The program is open to children 8 through 18 who reside in Lewis County. Applications are now available from the United Way Website www.lewiscountyuw.com, their office at 450 NW Pacific Avenue, Chehalis, or by calling their office at 748-8100. Counselors, neighbors, social workers, church leaders, parents, teachers and other community members are encouraged to nominate any children they feel would benefit from the program. Both financial need and the need for positive interaction with a police officer are used as criteria in selecting applicants. Children chosen this year will “Shop with a Cop” on December 15th at the Chehalis Wal-Mart store. The deadline to submit applications is November 23rd.

If you wish to donate to the Shop With A Cop program, please send your donations to: Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Association, Attn: Chief Deputy Brown/Shop With A Cop, 345 W. Main Street, Chehalis, WA 98532.

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Rainier School Bus Driver Arrested - Posted at: 10/21/2011 9:04:52 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested a Rainer School District Bus Driver after investigating allegations of Child Molestation, Sexual Misconduct, and Assault 4th with Sexual Motivation.

The investigation which began after Tenino Police Department called the Sheriff’s Office to report they had learned that on October 18, 2011, Kenneth W. Sands, 51, of Rainier, had gone to a Rainier High School volleyball game in Onalaska to support the team. While watching the game Sands allegedly touched the breast of a 46 year old female spectator three times and then grabbed her buttocks as she was leaving to get away from the situation.

After the volleyball game was over, Sands grabbed a 15 year old volleyball player’s buttocks as she was waiting to get on the bus to go home with the team. He then proceeded to slap a 16 year old player’s buttocks as she was getting on the bus. Sands then got onto the bus and touched two other volleyball players' breasts. One was 16 and the other 17 years of age.

Sands was not in charge of driving the school bus on the night of the incident but was on the bus talking to the girls before the female school bus driver forced him to get off of the bus after the incidents occurred.

Sands is a school bus driver for the Rainier School District and has driven for the volleyball team and school routes.

Sands was arrested and booked into the Lewis County jail for Child Molestation 3rd, and referred to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office for five counts of Assault 4th with Sexual Motivation, and three counts of Sexual Misconduct.

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Former Pe Ell Softball Coach Arrested for Sexual Misconduct - Posted at: 10/20/2011 2:38:53 PM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Detectives arrested and booked Todd Dale Phelps, 52, of Pe Ell, for Sexual Misconduct with a Minor in the 2nd degree on October 18th.

Detectives have been investigating two separate incidences, which occurred in April and July of 2011 at separate residences in Pe Ell, but was just recently reported to the Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation revealed Mr. Phelps befriended a 16 year old player on the Pe Ell High School softball team and a relationship began outside of softball practices and games. The first incident which occurred was sexual contact in April of 2011 which resulted in the charge of Sexual Misconduct of a Minor in the 2nd degree.

The second incident occurred in July of 2011 and consisted of sexual intercourse. Mr. Phelps was no longer employed as the softball coach for the high school team at the time.

If anyone has any further information about this investigation, call Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422.

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Artist Sketch Rendered in Morton Remains Case - Posted at: 10/20/2011 2:15:22 PM

Detectives with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office have been provided with an artist’s sketch in which they hope will help them identify the human remains found near Morton in April of this year.

The artist’s rendering was made by studying the facial bones of the deceased female as an indication of what she may have looked like before her death.

Anyone with any information about this female or the case is asked to call the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286 or Crime Stoppers (if the person wishes to remain anonymous) at 1-800-748-6422

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Artist Sketch

Unidentified Female

Caucasian with some ethnicity
20-35 years of age
Small stature

Human remains were found on 04-07-2011 at approx. 1730 hrs, 100 yards up a logging spur from Highway 12, just outside of Morton, WA.

The medical examiner believes the remains to be those of a 20-35 year old female, Caucasian with possible mixed ethnicity, small stature, with dental and DNA available.

Anyone with information is asked to please contact the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Det. Dan Riordan, at 360-740-2765, dan.riordan@lewiscountywa.gov

Sheriff's Statement - Coroner's Inquest: Ronda Reynolds - Posted at: 10/10/2011 2:52:15 PM

In response to media inquiries, the following statement is provided:

Since becoming Sheriff in 2005, my Office has worked diligently to address all legitimate concerns and information brought to our attention regarding the Ronda Reynolds investigation.

My Office has spent considerable time and effort in evaluating, investigating and reviewing all information, both new and old, surrounding the Ronda Reynolds case. Our actions have been fair, impartial, and complete.

Perhaps the process of the Coroner’s Inquest will bring forth new information that my Office can act upon and/or possibly bring some resolution to the Reynolds & Thompson families. However, the Coroner’s Inquest will not change the case disposition made by my Office. That disposition was a result of a complete investigation, and unless there is clear and compelling new information, the case will not be re-opened regardless of the outcome of the Coroner’s Inquest.

That said, if the Prosecuting Attorney of Lewis County determines that the case warrants an arrest and moves forward to prosecute, my Office will assist in the same professional and non-biased way that we always have.

There will be no further releases from my office regarding this matter until after the Coroner’s Inquest is complete.

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Notice of Sale of Real Property - Blair Road - Posted at: 9/28/2011 12:31:53 PM

NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

Property:  Parcels 1 through 10, Blair Road, Centralia, WA

Sale of the property is to take place on Friday, October 28, 2011, at 10:00 a.m., at the Main Entrance Lobby, Old Lewis County Courthouse, 351 North Street, Chehalis, WA. NOTE: SALE POSTPONED UNTIL DECEMBER 2, 2011, AT 10:00 A.M.

Click below for additional information.

Notice of Sale of Real Property - Blair Road

Human Remains Found on Joerk Road in Randle - Posted at: 9/26/2011 9:44:02 AM

Human remains were located by a property owner in the 100 block of Joerk Road in Randle on Thursday morning, September 22, 2011.

Detectives of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office say it is a possibility that the remains could belong to a missing person reported to the Sheriff’s Office in April of 2011; however, there is not a positive identification at this time.  The remains were located approximately 1.5 miles from where the missing person was last seen.

Trisha Mckenzie-Fire, a 57 year old female from Randle, was last seen April 2, at approximately 0300, after a social gathering at her residence off of Silverbrook Road.

The skeletal remains will be sent to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office for a Forensic Anthropologist to examine and hopefully provide a positive identification and cause of death.

Sheriff's Office Recruiting New Volunteers - Posted at: 9/20/2011 8:40:55 AM

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications for Support Volunteers.
The Support Volunteer Program has been in existence at the Sheriff’s Office for over 10 years and is still going strong.

The program is utilized to support the operational and administrative functions of the Sheriff’s Office, as well as assist in community events and programs.

Support Volunteers are involved in many programs such as:
• Child Identification Program
• Safety City
• Car Seat Safety
• Fraud/ID Theft
• Neighborhood Watch
• Prevent Crime – Lock Your Door Every Time
• Prescription Drug Awareness
• Underage Drinking Education
• Community events such as STP – Seattle to Portland Bicycle Ride, SW Washington Fair,   Lewis County Youth Fair, Packwood Flea Market

“We really value our Support Volunteers and appreciate the time and effort they put into helping the Sheriff’s Office meet its mission in making this community a safer place to work, live, and play. With our dwindling resources, the volunteers help us fill in the gaps to ensure we are actively involved in community events and programs,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

Those interested may pick up applications at the front counter of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

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Sheriff's Office Offers New Tool for Victims of Lost Property - Posted at: 9/15/2011 12:14:02 PM

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office has developed a new tool that will, hopefully, aid in helping citizens claim their lost property.

Citizens who have lost property in Lewis County can now go to the LCSO website to see if their property has been turned in. The website address is: http://lewiscountywa.gov/sheriff/found-property.

Property Director Isabelle Williams said, “It is our goal to get property back to its rightful owner. We get a great deal of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment returning property to its owner – especially those treasured items that are irreplaceable and that they thought were lost forever."

Several methods are used by property and evidence staff to return lost property to its owner. Having the capability to put the information on the website will be very helpful to victims and citizens in finding their lost property as the posting can remain on the site until the owner claims it.

Last month 57 items were turned into the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office as lost property.
In 2010, 433 items were turned in.

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Sheriff's Office Unveils New Program - Posted at: 8/30/2011 9:12:49 AM

Sheriff Steve Mansfield will be starting a new program at the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office that he hopes will slow down a growing crime trend in Lewis County.

The program, “Prevent Crime – Lock Your Doors Every Time,” begins next week. Sheriff Mansfield said, “Recently we have had numerous problems with vehicle prowls in our county. My office has developed an innovative program to help address vehicle prowls and thefts. This program is about prevention, education, and a strong community partnership to combat this plaguing problem.”

The program will consist of Deputies and Support Volunteers providing extra patrols in areas where the most crime has been reported. A postcard sized note will be left on windshields of vehicles alerting owners of the vehicles that their vehicle was checked. The citizen will receive a compliment for locking their door or tips on how to prevent thefts if their doors were unlocked or valuables were left in sight.

Many vehicle thefts and thefts from vehicles in Lewis County are preventable. A high percentage of vehicle thefts and vehicle prowls occur to vehicles left unlocked. Some vehicles have keys left in the ignition when they are stolen. Although some thieves do break windows to get inside of a vehicle, it isn’t as common as vehicle prowls where the door is simply opened and the vehicle is easily entered.

Areas which are targeted the most by thieves are public parking areas in rural areas such as Rails to Trails off of SR603 near SR6, in Adna.

“I am hoping this program will remind our community members to lock their doors, every time they leave their vehicle. I want to bring a positive message and informational reminder to our citizens that will help them from becoming a victim of this preventable crime,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

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Another Scam Targets Elderly in South Lewis County - Posted at: 8/15/2011 11:26:08 AM

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office want to ensure no more elderly citizens fall victim to a recent scam hitting Lewis County.

The most recent scam targeting the elderly in Lewis County consists of suspects calling citizens and telling them they have won huge lotteries. The suspects then instruct the citizens to wire money or send a money order “for a winning fee”, before they can collect their winnings.

Detectives have taken reports from a few victims so far. Victims have been from Toledo, Winlock, and Vader.

One of the victims, a 91 year old female, sent $1400.00 in hopes of receiving over a million dollars in “winnings”.

It is believed the suspects originate and are working out of Jamaica.

Detectives are planning on providing more education on this scam and others targeting elderly adults in the near future.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield said, “If it seems too good to be true, it is. Real lotteries don’t ask you to pay money up front before you receive your winnings. If you are confused, unsure, or just want to make sure you are dealing with a legitimate person or company, call our office. Education about scams and fraud is the most effective way to deal with this problem. We are more than happy to help our senior citizens ensure they are not being scammed. For those of you who have elderly parents, friends, or neighbors, make sure you take the time to talk about these types of scams”.

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Deputy Saves Elderly Disabled Woman From House Fire - Posted at: 8/15/2011 11:15:20 AM

Jason Mauermann, a Deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, saved an elderly disabled woman from a burning house, Saturday morning, August 13, around 7:30 a.m.

The woman, 65 years or age, was asleep in her residence, in the 2100 block of Spencer Road, Salkum, when the home caught on fire. She awoke to flames and called 911 to report she was disabled and unable to escape on her own.

Deputy Mauermann responded and found the woman tangled up in a phone cord. After cutting it, he was able to pull her out of the house to safety. Personnel from Fire District 8 were on hand to begin treating the victim.

The woman was airlifted to Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon. She is in critical but stable condition. She suffered smoke inhalation and burns to her body.

“Deputy Mauermann is the epitome of a dedicated first responder. While entry into a burning residence is usually the duty of a properly equipped and trained firefighter, Deputy Mauermann was the first to arrive on scene and took decisive action which resulted in saving this woman’s life. I cannot ask for anything more and am extremely proud of his actions, and the way in which he met our mission. I am grateful that everything turned out the way it did,” Sheriff Steve Mansfield said.

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Deputy McKnight Returns to Patrol - Posted at: 7/8/2011 4:29:43 PM

Deputy Matt McKnight has been cleared to return to work and will resume normal patrol duties next week.

On June 20, 2011, Deputy McKnight, while on duty and assisting the Napavine Police Department with a dispute, was confronted by a volatile suspect. This confrontation resulted in Deputy McKnight shooting the suspect, Steven Petersen, who died at the scene.

As a result of this incident, the Regional Sheriff’s Critical Investigative Team was deployed to investigate the incident. Their findings were later turned over to the Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney who made a determination that the use of deadly force by Deputy McKnight was justified and the prosecutor’s Office would not pursue criminal charges in this matter.

After receiving the results of the investigation and the prosecutor’s determination, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office conducted an internal investigation that included a shooting review board and a policy, procedure and training review. The information obtained in the internal investigation confirmed that Deputy McKnight acted within the confines of the law and did not deviate from Sheriff’s Office policy, procedure and training.

“This incident, while tragic for so many reasons, drives home the reality of the dangers of this profession and the importance of how we conduct ourselves and what we do each and every day to achieve our mission and protect those we serve. It is unfortunate but it is a reality that law enforcement must at times resort to the use of deadly force to protect themselves and others during volatile situations. This incident, was unfortunately one of those situations,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

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Sheriff Mansfield's June E-Newsletter - Posted at: 6/17/2011 3:51:25 PM

Click here for Sheriff Mansfield's June 2011 E-Newsletter

Assault Suspect in Custody - Posted at: 6/9/2011 8:57:39 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detectives located Javier Jimenez Villalavazo in the Lacey area last night, June 8, 2011, at approximately 1901 hours, after the detectives received a tip on his whereabouts. He was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for Assault 1st for the shooting which occurred in Napavine on Monday.

Multiple agencies assisted the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office in the arrest, including Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, Centralia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Olympia Police Department’s.

As law enforcement set up containment around the house Villalavazo was alleged to be in, he was observed leaving the residence. When Villalavazo was contacted, he started to flee and a Tumwater PD K9 quickly apprehended him.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield said, “I am very proud of the diligent and tenacious work done over the past three days by our office and other agencies who assisted us in locating a dangerous suspect so quickly. He is off the streets and the community should feel safer knowing he is in custody. This was outstanding teamwork between several different law enforcement agencies.”

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Detectives Searching for Suspect in Napavine Shooting - Posted at: 6/7/2011 12:29:43 PM

Release #2

Detectives with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office are searching for Javier Jimenez Villalavazo also known as “The Joker”. Javier is a 22 year old hispanic male described as 6’00”, 220 lbs., shaved head and brown eyes.

Javier’s last known address is in Chehalis; however, witnesses reported seeing him in Centralia earlier this morning (06/06/11).

Probable cause exists for Assault 1st degree. If anyone knows Mr. Villalavazo’s whereabouts please call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422. He is considered armed and dangerous.

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Release #1

24 Year Old Centralia Woman Shot in Napavine

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Detectives are on the scene of a shooting which is believed to have occurred last night, June 5, 2011,  at approximately 10pm. The victim, a 24 year old Centralia woman, was shot twice outside of an apartment complex in the 100 block of Haywire Road in Napavine. The victim was treated and released from Providence Centralia Hospital this morning.

Detectives believe this was not a random incident and have a person of interest they are investigating.

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation, even though it occurred in the city limits of Napavine, due to the technical expertise needed for such a complex investigation.

Further information is not available at this time however an update will be sent as further information becomes known.

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Sheriff's Office Receives WASPC Accreditation Award - Posted at: 6/1/2011 8:23:59 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office received formal notice that they are an official WASPC (Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs) Accredited Agency on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at a WASPC Conference held in Yakima. The accreditation process took the Sheriff’s Office over a year to complete.

Only fifty (approximately) agencies statewide have met the accreditation standards and have been awarded the accredited agency status. The process takes considerable time and effort and determination for an agency to complete.

“This formal Accreditation is something our office and the community should be very proud of. The men and women employed by this office continually strive to make a positive difference in our community. The accreditation is just another way to show members of this community how truly professional and progressive our office is. The formal accreditation does not change the standard of excellence I have always expected from members of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office but it does prove to the public that we are following the best practices and models set forth by Washington State Law Enforcement,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

From the WASPC Website

What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a way of helping institutions evaluate and improve their overall performance. The key to this successful system lies in the consensus of published and circulated standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. There are two accreditation programs: Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) program and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) program. CALEA is a national program for all agencies and WASPC is just for Washington agencies. In 2001 WASPC entered into an alliance with CALEA and adopted their standards as WASPC's.

Washington's Program
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) Accreditation Program is intended to provide law enforcement agencies of this state an avenue for demonstrating that they meet commonly accepted standards for efficient and effective operation. The program is voluntary and is open to all general law enforcement agencies having primary responsibility for the enforcement of Washington criminal and traffic laws.
Benefits of Accreditation Include:
• To increase public confidence in the agency
• To increase credibility
• To provide a systemized agency self-assessment
• To broaden perspectives
• To intensify administrative and operational effectiveness
• To ensure recruitment, selection, and promotion processes are fair and equitable
• To strengthen understanding of agency policies and procedures by agency personnel
• To improve agency morale and pride
• To decrease susceptibility to litigation and costly civil court settlements
• To potentially reduce liability insurance costs
• To provide state and local recognition of professional competence

The Accreditation Process:
The Accreditation process occurs in seven phases: Interest and Contract; Self-Assessment; On-Site Assessment and Evaluation; Accreditation Commission Review; Executive Board Review; Award; and Re-Accreditation.

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Deputies to "Take Over" Chehalis McDonald's - Posted at: 5/25/2011 8:56:24 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office employees will be involved in a “Mctakeover” at the Kresky Avenue McDonald’s Thursday, May 26th, from 4:30-6:30pm. McDonald’s will donate a percentage of profits made during that time to the Lewis County Law Enforcement Memorial fundraiser.

“Several Sheriff's Office employees, including deputies and corrections officers, have volunteered to work with me at this event. It is a great opportunity to bring the family by, support a worthy cause and get to meet some of the people who work so hard in promoting safety and security in our community,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

McGruff and Safety Pup will be there to greet children.

A Chicken McNugget eating contest will take place at 5:30pm. The winner will walk away with 50.00 in gift cards. There is a $10.00 entry fee.

Employees with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office have been involved in fundraising efforts for the memorial for a few months and hope to have the memorial completed and unveiled to the public by fall of 2012. The memorial will be placed near the east entrance of the Law and Justice building.

Officers to be memorialized are:
Deputy Mike Gallagher, EOW 08-18-09 LCSO
Deputy Ernest Runke, EOW 09-19-57 LCSO
Deputy Richard Snider, EOW 02-08-86 LCSO
Deputy Seth “Riv” Jackson, EOW 04-07-37 LCSO
Deputized Civilian John M. Haney, EOW 11-15-19 LCSO
Officer William H. Smith, EOW 12-23-10 Centralia PD
Marshal James C. A. Parsons, EOW 06-30-03 Centralia PD
K-9 Ward – EOW 10-15-85 LCSO
*EOW = End of Watch

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Arrest Made in Varner Death Investigation - Posted at: 4/14/2011 10:00:32 AM

On April 13, 2011, detectives from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office flew to Los Angeles, California, and took custody of Kenneth R. Varner, 34 years of age, from Olympia. Mr Varner was flown back to Washington State where he was booked into the Lewis County Jail.

Mr. Varner was wanted on charges of Theft in the First Degree and Promoting a Suicide Attempt. These charges were a result of an extensive investigation into the death of his father, James Varner, who was found deceased in the Packwood area in February of 2006.

Mr. Varner had been living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and was deported by Mexican officials. On March 31st, he arrived in Los Angeles and was immediately taken into custody by the United States Marshalls Service.

Mr. Varner’s next court appearance will be on April 14th, at 4:15 p.m., in Lewis County Superior Court.

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Remains Identified - Posted at: 4/12/2011 9:00:44 AM

The human remains found near Mineral on Saturday, March 26, 2011, have been positively identified as Michael Lloyd Riemer.  Riemer was originally reported as a missing person in December of 1985 to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Riemer was missing along with his significant other, Diana Robertson, also from Pierce County.

Their two year old daughter was found wandering alone at a Spanaway K-Mart on the same day Riemer and Robertson went missing.

Riemer was 36 years old at the time of his disappearance. Robertson was 21 at the time of her disappearance.

Robertson’s remains were found February of 1986 on an abandoned logging road north of Mineral. Riemer’s remains were located within a mile of where Robertson’s remains had been previously located. During 1986 there were several attempts to find Riemer through numerous Search and Rescue missions.

Information on the case aired on the television show Unsolved Mysteries in 1989 and generated numerous tips over the years as to the whereabouts of Riemer. Riemer was a person of interest in the death of Robertson as he had not been located after Robertson’s body was found and his whereabouts were still unknown.

Detectives with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office have notified Pierce County Sheriff’s Department of the identification of Riemer and a joint investigation continues.

If anyone has any information about this case, please call the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-748-6422.

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Skeletal Remains Found Near Morton - Posted at: 4/11/2011 9:57:02 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detectives responded on 04/07/11, at approximately 1730 hours, to the Morton area in reference to human skeletal remains being found by a citizen.

A man called 911 to report he had pulled off the highway to take a break. As he got out of his car he noticed skeletal remains of a human, off the side of the road. The surrounding area is a rural wooded area.

The gender, age, and how long the remains have been there is unknown at this time. The remains will be sent to King County Medical Examiner’s Office for a forensic pathologist to examine, within the next few days.

Lewis County Search and Rescue will be in the area with detectives today conducting an area search to locate potential evidence.

We are not releasing exact location of where remains were found at this time.

Further information will be released as it is known.

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Human Skull Found Near Mineral - Posted at: 3/30/2011 11:16:50 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating a partial human skull found in a wooded area near Mineral on Saturday, March 26, 2011.

The skull was located by someone hiking in the area. Detectives, with the assistance of Lewis County Search and Rescue, are continuing to search the area for potential evidence.

At this time, identification of the skull is unknown. The skull will be sent to a forensic pathologist for further examination.

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Three Deceased in Winlock - Posted at: 3/16/2011 9:23:22 AM

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Detectives responded last night, March 15, 2011, at approximately 2115 hours, to a residence in the 300 block of Frost Road, Winlock, in reference to three deceased people found inside of the residence.

Through initial investigation and evidence, it appears there was no forced entry into the home and the deaths are a result of a double murder-suicide. The Washington State Patrol Total Station Team assisted our office in the investigation.

Deceased include a 65 year old female, 57 year old male, and an 18 year old male. The deceased were related and resided in the home together.

The family appeared to have died from gunshot wounds. Autopsies have been scheduled for Friday.

Three dogs and a cat belonging to the family were also found deceased at the home.

The investigation is ongoing and we will release further information as it is known.

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Missing 10 Year Old Girl Found Safe After Night in Woods - Posted at: 3/2/2011 9:41:10 AM

MISSING 10 YEAR OLD GIRL FOUND SAFE AFTER NIGHT IN WOODS

On Tuesday, March 1, 2011, at 8:48 p.m., the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a reported missing child incident in the 100 block of Crater View Drive in Silvercreek, Washington.

Deputies arrived on scene at about 9:00 p.m., where they contacted the family of the missing 10 year old girl. Deputies learned the family last saw the girl at about 7:00 p.m. walking around in the yard at the home. Deputies began a search of the area surrounding the home, as well as contacting neighbors in the area.

At about 10:00 p.m., two search K-9’s from Cascade Search Dogs arrived and began a search of the wooded area surrounding the home. By 3:00 a.m., the SAR teams completed their search, however, did not locate the missing child.

Additional deputies arrived at the family home at 5:00 a.m. and were in the process of briefing when a noise was heard. The four deputies on scene then conducted a second search of the wooded area. At about 5:30 a.m., voice contact was made with the missing child. Deputies then climbed down the extremely steep hillside and located the child near the water’s edge.

Due to the terrain and safety for the child, the decision was made to use a boat to evacuate the deputy and the child. A local fishing guide, Don Huntley, was called and he volunteered to assist the Sheriff’s Office with the rescue. The boat rescue was successful and the deputy and the child were transported from the Mayfield Lake Boat Launch back to the family home where the child was reunited with her family.

The young girl only suffered minor scratches and was cold, medical treatment was not necessary.

In debriefing the child, the Sheriff’s Office learned that while walking she had gotten too close to the bank and slipped and fell over the edge. She was not able to climb back up the steep hillside, which forced her to continue downhill approximately 300 yards to the water’s edge where she stayed until located this morning. The mission was completed at 7:00 a.m. this morning.

“This is one of those incidents where time and the weather are working against you and the intense coordinated search effort paid off. The girl was extremely lucky as she was wearing two coats and the weather and temperature was mild compared to the previous day’s snow,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

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Detectives Seek Information on Missing Person - Kayla Mae Croft-Payne - Posted at: 12/14/2010 3:07:27 PM

Detectives from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the disappearance of 18 year old Kayla Mae Croft-Payne. Kayla was reported missing to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office on May 5, 2010. Kayla was residing in Lewis County, but her last known location was in the Cowlitz County area. Kayla is also known to frequent Grays Harbor and Pierce County. Kayla is described as a white female, 5’06”, 105 pounds, blue eyes and brown hair.

Kayla was reported by a friend who had not seen or heard from her for several days. Croft appeared to be a frequent user of MySpace.com leading up to her disappearance, but has not accessed her account since April 28th, 2010.

Detectives are treating this case as an active and ongoing investigation with leads continuing to be investigated.

Anyone with information on Croft-Payne’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Website at http://tips.lewiscountywa.gov -or- CRIMESTOPPERS at http://www.lewiscountycrimestoppers.org . These sites can be accessed and information left anonymously.

Safe Option for Disposal of Unused Medicines - Posted at: 11/18/2010 3:38:45 PM

LEWIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES AND SHERIFF’S OFFICE PARTNER TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS A SAFE OPTION FOR DISPOSAL OF UNUSED MEDICINES

Lewis County Public Health & Social Services, in partnership with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Morton Police Department and Centralia Police Department, have developed a prescription drug disposal program for Lewis County.

The goals of this program are to offer safe and anonymous disposal of unused or unwanted prescription medications, and to reduce the potential for medications to fall into the hands of children and teenagers, or adults who may misuse them.

Additionally, this important program will help protect our environment and drinking water supply as people will no longer need to flush unused medicine down the toilet or put them in the garbage.

Thanks to funding from Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking (NW HIDTA), we were able to purchase four secure disposal bins. The bins will be located throughout the county at monitored and protected disposal locations. The locations are:

• Lewis County Law & Justice Center (inside) 345 W. Main Street, Chehalis
• Centralia Police Department (outside) 316 N. Pearl Street, Centralia
• Morton Police Department (outside) 260 Main Street, Morton
• Sheriff’s Office Packwood Substation (inside) 12990 US Highway 12, Packwood

Many citizens aren’t aware of their options for the disposal of unused medicines, and sometimes dispose of them improperly or leave them sitting in cabinets and drawers. Ideally, pharmaceutical manufacturers would provide and fund unused medicine return programs across the country. Unfortunately, such programs are rare.

In Washington there are only six other counties (Kitsap, King, Thurston, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane) with unused medicine return programs. Lewis County Public Health & Social Services and the Sheriff’s Office is proud of this program and hopes the citizens of Lewis County will take full advantage of the ability to safely dispose of their medications.

For more information, call Lewis County Public Health & Social Services: 360-740-1223.

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Sheriff Mansfield October E-Newsletter - Posted at: 10/29/2010 10:19:49 AM

Click here for Sheriff Mansfield's October E-Newsletter