Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison reports, on 9/16/23, deputies were dispatched to a report of an injury accident on Chumstick Hwy at Freund Canyon Rd. Deputies arrived to find a motorcyclist had crashed into a motorhome and sadly, was declared deceased by medical personnel on scene.
The driver of the motorcycle was identified as Alexandra L. Becerra of Langley, WA. Initial investigation shows the motorcyclist appeared to have lost control on a corner causing her to go into the oncoming lane before crashing into a motorhome. The investigation is ongoing.
On 6/27/2023 deputies were dispatched to a report of a vehicle prowl in the area of Chatter Creek trail head outside Leavenworth. The victim reported someone had broken her passenger side window and stole her wallet along with other items. The victim’s debit card was later used at a business in Leavenworth. Deputies followed up with that business and were able to obtain a vehicle description of the person who used the stolen debit card.
On 8/5/2023 the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office Forrest Service Deputy learned of additional vehicle prowls along the Highway 20 corridor on National Parks Service land in the northwest area of Chelan County. Through the deputy’s investigation, he was able to identify a vehicle in the area of the prowls as the same one involved in the Chatter Creek car prowl. This time they were able to obtain the license plate number of the vehicle.
More follow up from the deputy led him to evidence that the registered owner of the suspect vehicle was facilitating the sale of some of the items stolen from the vehicles. At that point the case was turned over to Chelan County Sheriff’s Office detective unit. They were able to identify the male and female seen on surveillance cameras as Sierra L Cotter and Brandon R. Sutherland of Everett.
Detectives later arrested Cotter in King County and booked her in the Chelan County Regional Justice center on charges of Possession of Stolen Property, Identity Theft, and Forgery. They also obtained a search warrant for two storage units in the Everett area that belonged to Sutherland and Cotter.
Chelan County Sheriff’s Office detectives served the search warrants in Everett with the assistance of Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. As a result of this investigation, 2 Chelan County cases, 2 National Parks cases, and 10 Snohomish County cases were solved. Suspects may now be facing charges in Snohomish County as well.
This case is another example of the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office commitment to protecting our citizens from people that come from other areas to commit crimes. We are committed to go beyond county lines to investigate and apprehend those suspects.
Sheriff Mike Morrison reports, on 8/26/2023 at approximately 0134 hrs, deputies responded to a report of an injury accident in the 500 blk of Klate Rd in Manson. When deputies and Manson Fire arrived, they found a side-by-side vehicle off the roadway. The single occupant driver was located and pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver was identified as 40 year old Brock W. Lindsay of Manson. The Coroner’s Office determined the driver died as a result of the crash.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office would like to express our deepest condolences to the Lindsay family. Brock’s positive influence on the community of Manson and the people in the Chelan Valley will be missed.
A tragedy in the community as a local woman in Cashmere passes away after being hit by a passing BNSF train.
On 08/24/2023, at approximately 1155 hours, Rivercom advised and dispatched Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Deputies that a person was struck by a passing Burlington Northern San Francisco (BNSF) Railroad train near Division Street and Mission Avenue in Cashmere, WA. The reporting party, an BNSF employee, advised the train had struck a person who was standing on the train tracks just east of the train crossing. Sadly, the person struck by the train did not survive the collision.
Through their investigation, CCSO Detectives, were able to identify the deceased as Melinda I Smith, a 31-year-old woman from Cashmere. Detectives and the County Coroner were able to notify her next of kin today 8/25/2023.
CCSO offers our deepest condolences to the family and to the community.
The investigation into this collision remains ongoing and there is no further information to report.
UPDATE
On August 14, 2024, the Chelan County Coroner’s Office identified the victim in this case as 70 year old Eduardo Santiago (See above photo). Mr. Santiago was known to frequent the area of Locomotive Park in Wenatchee. The Coroner’s office is also asking for the public’s help in identifying any relatives of Mr. Santiago. If anyone has any information that would assist in notifying Mr. Santiago’s next of kin please contact the Coroners’ office at 509-667-6431.
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Sheriff Mike Morrison reports on August 10 2023 at approximately 0017 hours, a 70 year old male was found deceased in the roadway of Malaga Alcoa Highway near Stemilt Creek Road. Deputies from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office and Officers from the Wenatchee Police Department responded to the area.
During the preliminary investigation, information was obtained from a witness indicating the deceased had been struck by a vehicle. After the vehicle struck the victim, the driver fled the area, north bound towards Wenatchee. The witness stated the suspect vehicle is possibly a 2010 or newer blue Honda. Damage to the vehicle may be on the passenger side.
The victim’s identity is being withheld at this time pending next of kin notification.
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office is asking for assistance to identify the suspect vehicle and driver. If you have any information into the incident, please contact Deputy Mathena via the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 509-667-6845.
Sheriff Mike Morrison reports, on 7/28/23, at approximately 1150 hours, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call in Manson of a suspicious vehicle with flashing blue and red lights. It was reported the male driver was stopping to speak with young girls. When approached by the reporting party, the male identified himself as a Seattle Police detective.
Through an investigation, probable cause was obtained on 39 year old Christopher M. Alexander of Manson, WA for Criminal Impersonation 2nd degree. Mr. Alexander is not a law enforcement officer. It was discovered that he was no longer living at his address in Manson.
On 8/8/23 at approximately 1100 hrs, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies received information that Christopher Alexander was at the Wenatchee High School. He was located and arrested for RCW 9A.60.045 Criminal Impersonation 2nd degree and WAC 204-21-230(4), lighting equipment prohibited.
On 7/30/23 at approximately 0930 hrs, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested 52 year old Darren D. Hunter, on charges of Rape 1st degree and Assault 2nd degree.
Hunter, who is currently living in Chelan, had recently moved to the area from Kent, Wa. While living in Kent, he worked as a middle school teacher until he was fired after pleading guilty to Assault 4th Degree with Sexual Motivation. He is currently not employed by any school district.
Details of the case are limited at this time due to it being an ongoing investigation.
Detectives have reason to believe Hunter may have committed additional unreported crimes. If you have any information that could be helpful to detectives please call the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at (509) 667-6845.
*** UPDATE JUNE 23rd, 2023 2:00 PM ***
Sheriff Mike Morrison reports the body of Yun Park, a 66-year-old male from Palisades Park New Jersey was recovered near the base of Colchuck Peak. Park was one of three climbers who was killed by an avalanche while attempting to climb Colchuck Peak on February 19th, 2023.
A hiker located Mr. Park’s body on the afternoon of June 22nd. She reported the find to Chelan County Sheriff’s Office during the evening of June 22nd. Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter Rescue Team was contacted for a hoist capable helicopter and accepted the mission. Snohomish HRT responded in the morning of June 23rd and recovered Mr. Park’s body at approximately 11:15 am. The body was turned over to the Chelan County Coroner’s office.
Mr. Park was the last of the three climbers to be recovered. All of the members of the climbing group have now been recovered.
*** UPDATE MAY 30th, 2023 10:30 AM ***
Sheriff Mike Morrison reports on May 29th, 2023 the body of Jeannie Lee, a 60-year-old Climber from Bayside, New York was recovered from the base of Colchuck Peak. Lee was killed in an avalanche on Sunday February 19th along with two other climbers (see original release below). A Chelan County Mountain Rescue volunteer was in the area on a personal trip when he located Lee’s body. Snow has melted significantly with the warm weather recently. He hiked to the top of Colchuck Glacier where he made a call to RiverCom dispatch.
Chelan County Sheriff’s Office was notified and deployed the CCSO helicopter. Two additional Chelan County Mountain Rescue volunteers were transported to the scene to assist with the recovery. Lee’s body was transported to the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery at approximately 4:30 pm and turned over to the Chelan County Coroner’s Office. The rescuers did not locate the
additional missing climber, Yun Park of Palisades Park New Jersey.
Conditions still are not safe to conduct a thorough search of the area.
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Sheriff Mike Morrison reports on February 20th, 2023 Deputies were contacted at the CCSO Leavenworth substation about an avalanche that occurred near Colchuck Lake the previous day. The reporting party, a 53-year-old Maryland man reported the group he was with had attempted to climb Colchuck Peak on Sunday February 19th. There were six climbers in that group and the reporting party had stayed at their base camp that day. The lead climber triggered an avalanche while attempting to climb the Northeast Couloir of Colchuck Peak. Four of the climbers were swept down the couloir approximately 500 feet.
Three of the climbers died as a result of trauma sustained in the fall. They were a 60-year-old female from New York, a 66-year-old male from New Jersey, and a 53-year-old male from Connecticut. The fourth climber, a 56 year old male form New York sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was able to hike back to base camp with the remaining two. They were a 50-year-old male from New York and a 36-year-old male from New Jersey. When they arrived at camp, they sent the reporting party for help.
When Deputies took the report, A SAR coordinator started gathering resources. A total of 22 rescuers responded to the trailhead to assist with this effort. They were from Chelan County Mounty Rescue, Chelan County Volunteer Search and Rescue and ORV unit, Seattle Mountain Rescue, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, and Yakima Mountain Rescue. A group of four from Chelan County Mountain Rescue responded to the lake driven part of the way by the CCVSAR ORV unit. They reached the base camp at approximately 1:30 pm. They were able to determine avalanche conditions were too hazardous to continue to the deceased climbers. They escorted the surviving climbers back to the trailhead.
Rescuers were not sent back in to the scene today due to hazardous conditions. CCSO continues to work with Northwest Avalanche Center to assist in a recover plan.
Colchuck Peak sits at the South end of Colchuck Lake approximately 8 miles South of Leavenworth, WA.
Sheriff Mike Morrison reports on May 4th, 2023 at approximately 4:15 pm an overturned raft was reported on the Wenatchee River near Dryden, WA. It was reported four subjects were floating downstream separated from the raft. At the same time a separate report was made that CPR was in progress for a male who had flipped out of a raft.
Chelan County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, Fire Personnel from Chelan County Fire Districts 6 and 3, and Ambulance Crews Cascade Medical Center responded to the scene.
It was determined both incidents were related. A raft with seven occupants had overturned near Shark’s Tooth, a location on the Wenatchee River near Dryden. Some of the occupants noticed one, a 46-year-old Cashmere man was not doing well, they swam him to shore and he was not responsive. They began performing CPR on him on the shore.
When fire and medic crews arrived at approximately 4:25 pm, they continued CPR until 5:18 pm when he was pronounced dead.
The other rescuers stationed along the river in several locations until it was confirmed the remainder of the raft occupants made it out of the water, all in the Dryden area.
The water flow in the Wenatchee River is at or near record levels. The Sheriff’s Office is reminding the public to use caution when near any rivers and always use a personal flotation device. The rivers are expected to be extremely dangerous throughout the next several days.
WENATCHEE, WA – The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and the Lake Wenatchee Recreation Club, is offering a free Snowmobile Safety Certification Class to young snowmobilers in December.
The free class is designed for youth ages 12 to 16 but is open to new riders of all ages. The class is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 9th at the Lake Wenatchee Recreation Club, 14400 Chiwawa Loop Rd, Leavenworth, WA. Lunch will be provided for the participants by the Lake Wenatchee Rec. Club.
The key to safe snowmobiling lies in the operator’s knowledge, capabilities, limitations and understanding of the machine. It is recommended that snowmobilers be aware of weather and trail conditions and the safety of other winter sports enthusiasts, while respecting wildlife and the environment. The snowmobile safety course training includes:
Registration deadline is December 6th. A parent or guardian will need to sign a consent form for each child registered and sign them out at the conclusion of the class. For more information or to register, contact Rich Magnussen with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office at (509) 667-6508 or email
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