Crime and Injury Report 04.02.14

Fire & EMS

Longview woman cited for Castle Rock collision

Defective equipment has been blamed for a rollover collision on I-5 in Castle Rock March 25, according to the Washington State Patrol.

A 52-year-old Longview woman had been driving a 2006 Saturn Vue southbound at Exit 49 when her car reportedly hydroplaned and left the roadway, entering the median and coming to a stop on its roof.

Both the driver and a 32-year-old female passenger, from Kelso, sustained unspecified injuries and were transported to St. Johns Medical Center. The driver was also cited for driving with wheels off the roadway.

Two injured in head-on wreck on I-5

Two elderly men were injured during a head-on collision on I-5 in Castle Rock March 26, according to the Washington State Patrol.

A 63-year-old Centralia man driving a 2005 Nissan Sentra had been traveling northbound at Exit 49 when he lost control and swerved into the median, crossing into southbound traffic and striking a 2013 Mazda MZ3 driven by a 72-year-old Ridgefield man.

Both vehicles were totaled and both drivers were transported to St. Johns Hospital with unspecified injuries. The driver of the Nissan was cited for driving with wheels off the roadway.

Winlock bus involved in minor collision

No injuries were reported after a car collided with a school bus in Winlock on March 26, according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.

The collision occurred on the 900 block of Byham Rd. at around 12:52 p.m. when the 61-year-old male driver of a 2004 Buick LaSabre was backing out of his driveway and failed to see the bus. The bus driver, a 48-year-old Winlock man, attempted to avoid hitting the car, but was struck on the right, front bumper.

When interviewed, the students on the bus said all they felt was a slight bump, and none of them reported experiencing any injuries. While the bus suffered minor scrapes, the Buick sustained significant damage, though the driver was reportedly uninjured, as well.

The driver of the Buick was cited for failure to yield.

Arrests & Referrals

Toledo woman arrested for child porn

A Toledo woman was arrested and later released for possession of child pornography March 26, according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.

Michelle A. Croft, 47, was contacted on the 500 block of Augustus St., in Toledo, after a two-month investigation was prompted by reports Croft had shown an illicit video to at least two other individuals. The video allegedly contained footage of a naked 7-year-old girl committing lewd acts at the direction of an unknown male off-camera.

While Croft was initially booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession of child pornography, her charges were later dropped by the Lewis County Prosecutor's Office with the intent to re-file after deputies continue their investigation.

It was notable Croft is the mother of Kayla Croft-Payne, a young Toledo woman who went missing in 2010 at the age of 18. However, the Sheriff's Office has not indicated if there is a link between Croft's alleged crime and her daughter's disappearance.

Longview man booked for stolen guns

A Longview man was arrested in Vader March 24 after having been found in possession of stolen firearms, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s office.

Joshua A. Jordan, 36, was contacted on the 1200 block of SR 506 after being observed sitting on the guardrail with a rifle strapped to his backpack by a passing deputy. Through investigation it was learned the rifle, a Ruger .22 LR, had been stolen out of Lincoln County and a search of the subject’s backpack found an AMT .38 pistol stolen out of Longview.

Jordan was subsequently booked into the Lewis County Jail on two counts of possession of a stolen firearm.

Ongoing Investigations

Those with information about ongoing investigations are encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at (360) 740-1266 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422.

Authorities report string of Vader Honda thefts

An unknown number of vehicle thieves appear to be targeting older Hondas in Vader after a third car in as many weeks has been reported stolen by authorities.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office has reported a 1993 Honda Civic was stolen sometime between 6 p.m. March 23 and 6 a.m. March 24 from the 900 block of B St., joining a string of thefts including a 1993 Honda Prelude stolen from the 900 block of D St. on March 14, and a 1992 Honda Accord stolen from the 900 block of 10th St. on March 6.

While no suspects have been reported as of yet, surveillance footage has come forward of a car prowler caught March 6 targeting a 1994 Honda Accord on the 100 block of Alpine Ct. and authorities are investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Office advises all car owners to not leave valuables in their vehicle and make sure their doors are locked and, if possible, to park their car in a well-lit area.

The most recent Honda has been described as a black in color with Oregon license plate ZUB478 and a value of $2,000. The Prelude stolen March 14 has been described as red with Washington license plate AMA2844 and a value of $3,000. The Accord stolen March 6 has been described as a sedan with black steel rims, studded snow tires, a spoiler on the trunk and Washington license plate 190YQF and a value of $2,000.

Outbuildings broken into near Winlock

A pair of outbuildings near Winlock have been the recent target of burglars, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

A caretaker for a property on the 300 block of Russell Rd., west of Winlock, reported someone had broken into the outbuildings sometime between March 21, when he had been at the residence to mow the lawn, and March 24 when he returned and found the buildings forced open.

An estimated property loss was not reported as the property owner lives in California and was not immediately available to identify what had been stolen.

Fencing stolen from Toledo-area farm

A group of metal thieves are being sought after stealing fencing material from a Toledo-area farm in recent days, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

It was reported March 25 an unknown number of suspects damaged 300 feet of fencing wire while stealing fence posts from the 400 block of Bones Rd., east of Toledo, sometime between 10 a.m. March 21 and 4 p.m. March 25.

The 71-year-old male property owner told deputies the thefts have been an ongoing problem at his property, and the estimated property loss is $511.

Vader man loses $1,000 in Pokémon cards

A Vader man said he has been robbed of $1,000 in Pokémon cards by an 8-year-old suspect, according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.

The 20-year-old victim contacted deputies March 26 and said his collection, which consisted of trading cards kept in binders, had gone missing from his residence on the 700 block of Main St. sometime between Jan. 1 and March 20.

The most likely suspect identified so far has been an 8-year-old boy belonging to a transient family based out of the Longview/Kelso area.

Authorities said an investigation is under way.

Crime Stoppers ‘Crime of the Week’

Authorities are seeking help solving a burglary taking place in Silver Creek earlier this year.

It is believed, between mid-January and Feb. 25, an unknown number of suspects broke into a storage lot on the 100 block of Chief Umptux Rd., cutting the lock off a storage unit and stealing at 32” Vizio TV, a 15” HP computer monitor, a Husky stainless steel rolling tool chest, miscellaneous specialty tools, an XM compact sound system and four wine goblets. The estimated loss is $1,010.

Those with information are encouraged to contact law enforcement or, to leave an anonymous tip for possible cash reward, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422.