Sheriff's Report, December 31, 2020

Wahkiakum County law enforcement officers and emergency response personnel handled a variety of reports during the past week, including:

December 18 ¾ 4:39 p.m. A caller complained about a neighbor’s pigs, which were screaming and had no shelter or water. The caller said he didn’t know who was taking care of them, the owner was out of state. 4:51 p.m. A caller reported seeing a brush fire up in the hills toward Skamokawa. The Cathlamet Fire Department responded but were told to stand down when they learned it was a slash burn conducted for Weyerhauser. An individual went to check out the scene and found nine slash piles burning unattended, but he believed they weren’t going anywhere, partially because of the rain. 7:36 p.m. A caller reported debris, including rocks, on SR 4 near the bottom of Abe Creek Hill. A deputy and state patrol responded. 8:09 p.m. A deputy and a representative from the mental health department responded to a Rosedale home after a caller said that a family member was irritating him and he wanted some assistance from mental health. 8:38 p.m. A caller said that a tree had fallen and was blocking the southbound lane of Elochoman Valley Road. The county road department was notified. 9:41 p.m. A caller reported that a tree had fallen and was blocking the westbound lane of SR 4 on the west side of KM. State patrol responded. 10:55 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance aided a West Birnie Slough resident complaining of chest pain.

December 19 — 7:48 a.m. A welfare check was requested for a Puget Island resident. A deputy made contact; the resident was fine. 8:17 a.m. A caller reported seeing an unoccupied 16 foot boat floating in the Columbia River. The Coast Guard was notified. 9:14 a.m. The sheriff’s department was asked to assist with a follow up on a hit and run in Kelso. 11:31 a.m. A caller said that hunters may be hunting illegally on Price Island. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was notified. 4:53 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance aided a Cathlamet resident who was having trouble breathing. 5:42 p.m. A caller reported a two vehicle accident with one car in a ditch on Puget Island. An individual in the accident called. He said his car was the only one involved in the accident, that everyone was okay, but he was unable to get out of the vehicle because of the steep angle of the ditch. A deputy and the Cathlamet ambulance responded. AAA was en route. 8:53 p.m. An assault was reported at a Cathlamet home. 10:23 p.m. A caller reported a slide one mile east of Nassa Point. It was blocking one lane and one vehicle was disabled because of the slide. The driver asked for a tow. A deputy and state patrol responded.

December 20 — 2:42 a.m. A power outage was reported at an east county home. The PUD was notified and en route. The caller later said his landline was not working. At 3:06 a.m., dispatch was notified that local landlines with the prefix 795 were not working. At 3:42 a.m. it was discovered that a landslide and tree had come down on both lanes of SR 4 and had taken out the power lines just east of Flandersville. A deputy responded. State patrol was already aware of the situation and en route, as was the Washington Department of Transportation. They were able to get one lane open by 4:43 a.m. At 5:11 a.m., a second caller reported that he had lost power. The PUD restored power to the area at 6:02 a.m. 5:01 a.m. Eden Valley Road was closed because of high water. There was water on Covered Bridge Road near the bridge, but it was still passable. Wirkkala Road and Deep River Road also had water on the roadway, but remained passable. 10:13 a.m. A caller reported a broken water line at a Skamokawa address. 5:02 p.m. A caller requested a welfare check for an individual at a home east of Cathlamet after receiving an ominous text message from the resident. A deputy responded and spoke with the person, who said everything was fine. 5:27 p.m. An individual was transported to the sheriff’s office after being given a field sobriety test during a vehicle stop on SR 4 west of Skamokawa. 7:11 p.m. Two callers reported that a neighbor in Cathlamet had been gone for several days and his dogs, which had been left in the house, had been barking incessantly. A deputy responded. He was unable to contact the owner, but he could hear the dogs barking in the garage. 9:15 p.m. A Skamokawa resident reported hearing people yelling outside and then a gunshot.

December 21 — 12:44 a.m. An individual with a warrant turned himself in to the sheriff’s department. 7:24 a.m. Two homeowners in the Elochoman Valley reported that they had lost power. 7:26 a.m. A caller reported that an individual who had been in a one vehicle accident on Elochoman Valley Road was walking towards SR 4. 11:22 a.m. A caller reported that someone was witnessed illegally dumping remodeling debris on another person’s property in Deep River. 11:57 a.m. An outside agency requested information on a vehicle involved in a hit and run accident. 12:18 p.m. A caller reported that someone was dumping trash at Strong Park. 2:29 p.m. A welfare check was requested for a Cathlamet resident by a caller who had become concerned because of a nearly full mailbox, an open garage, and Christmas tree lights that had been on all hours for several days. Two deputies responded and found all was well. 5:59 p.m. A caller asked the sheriff’s office to periodically check on a vehicle he had left in front of the Skamokawa Fire Hall. 8:11 p.m. A caller reported his power was out on Ostervold Road, adding that his neighbor’s power was out too. The PUD was notified. A tree had come down where Ostervold Road meets West Birnie Slough Road, crossing both lanes. Public works responded. The PUD restored power at 9:41 p.m., and the tree was cleared at 9:49 p.m. 8:20 p.m. A caller reported a branch in the westbound lane of SR 4 near Nassa Point. 9:05 p.m. A Grays River resident was concerned about his wife, who was expected home from Portland five hours earlier. At 9:42 p.m., a deputy said the wife had arrived home. 10 p.m. A Cathlamet resident reported that a neighbor had threatened to assault her following a dispute over a garbage can.

December 22 — 12:12 a.m. A Skamokawa resident reported a suspicious vehicle in a driveway he shared with a neighbor. He said there were people sitting inside the vehicle with flashlights, yelling. 2:09 p.m. A caller reported that a restraining order had been violated, alleging that an individual tried to make contact through a third party via text messages. 2:32 p.m. A caller said that her husband had picked up a woman who appeared to have cognitive issues. She was brought to the sheriff’s office and someone was found to take her home. 3:47 p.m. A caller reported that someone was walking on the highway on Puget Island.

December 23 — 12:09 p.m. A caller reported a disabled vehicle along Elochoman Valley Road near Monroe Acres. The caller said he had already requested a tow truck. 10:22 p.m. A car went into a ditch on Elochoman Valley Road. Deputies responded. The county road department was advised of icy conditions. 10:23 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance aided a Cathlamet resident who had fallen and hit her head. They requested assistance from the sheriff’s department when the individual, who was possibly intoxicated, became combative. A deputy responded.

December 24 — 9:11 a.m. A caller requested a deputy after finding evidence of illegal dumping at the KM transfer station. 3:41 p.m. A Grays River resident reported that a dog had scratched and damaged his vehicle. 4:58 p.m. A Beaver Creek resident reported that his fence had been knocked down following a party on Bradley Trails. 5:30 p.m. A caller found a baby crawling alone down Columbia Street. A deputy went door to door, looking for the mother. She was found at 5:45 p.m. She said that another youth who had autism was missing as well. The Cathlamet Fire Department, state patrol, and the Cathlamet ambulance responded. The child was found on South 3rd Street.

December 25 — 3:16 p.m. A representative from Child Protective Services requested law enforcement at a Cathlamet home where two children had been returned the night before. 6:43 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance aided a Skamokawa resident who may have had a stroke. 8:37 p.m. A caller reported that a car had gone into a ditch along SR 4 at the eastern base of KM. The passengers seemed to be okay, the caller said. State patrol, the Grays River ambulance, and a deputy responded. A deputy said it was a rollover accident and a tow truck was called.

December 26 — 3:12 a.m. The Cathlamet ambulance aided a Cathlamet resident who had fallen. 11:55 a.m. A caller reported that someone was duck hunting from Brooks Slough Road. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was notified. 1:10 p.m. An individual was taken into custody following a domestic disturbance at a West Sunny Sands home. The Cathlamet ambulance later responded to the home. 1:39 p.m. A woman was seen walking along SR 4 near Elochoman Valley Road. 2:27 p.m. A welfare check was requested for a woman walking along SR 4 near the Elochoman River bridge. State patrol responded and were unable to locate the woman. 5:03 p.m. A vehicle with Mexico plates was found at the end of Elochoman Valley Road. No one was around. State patrol and WDFW were notified. 5:43 p.m. The Grays River ambulance and the Grays River Fire Department aided a Deep River resident who needed lift assistance. 6:56 p.m. A caller said that a vehicle near East Steamboat Slough and another near Nassa Point were disabled and that he was charging the batteries of both vehicles and planning to pick them up the following day.

December 27 — 8:20 a.m. An East Valley Road resident reported a theft. 11:09 a.m. A caller said a disabled vehicle and tow truck were on a blind corner on SR 4 east of Little Cape Horn and asked for assistance with traffic control. 2:50 p.m. A caller requested assistance with a vehicle unlock on West Birnie Slough Road. 3:32 p.m. A caller asked for assistance after getting locked out of his car while visiting a Cathlamet business. 6:07 p.m. A caller reported that a deer had been struck by a vehicle on North Welcome Slough Road. A deputy responded and euthanized the deer. 9:07 p.m. An individual was pinned after a rollover accident on SR 4 east of Cathlamet. A deputy, state patrol, the District 4 Fire Department, and the Cathlamet ambulance responded. 11:50 p.m. A vehicle was repossessed from a Rosedale residence.