A Lewis County Superior Court judge has issued a $25,000 warrant for the arrest of a Winlock man accused of stealing fuel out of two vans at Centralia College in March.
The defendant, Lonnie Lee Hand, 44, of Winlock, is accused of cutting the fuel lines to two vans parked at Centralia College’s campus in downtown Centralia on March 4 and removing approximately $130 of fuel between the two vehicles.
One of the vans belongs to Centralia College and the other belongs to the state Department of Enterprise Services. The cost of repairs for one of the vans is estimated at $668, according to court documents.
Hand was identified as the registered owner of an orange Ford Bronco SUV that was caught on the video surveillance of the college’s parking lot. Video reportedly shows the driver of the Bronco interacting with the two damaged vehicles, according to court documents.
When he was initially contacted by law enforcement, Hand reportedly said “‘Mike’ had acquired the fuel in exchange for a ride” but had no information regarding “Mike,” according to court documents.
The officer reportedly told Hand “that even if he had not exited the vehicle, the fact that he transported someone to Centralia College so they could steal gas to give to him made him an active participant in the crime.”
Hand allegedly “acknowledged this as being true.”
He was issued a court summons for a May 18 preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court, which he was not present for. Given that he did not appear for that hearing, Judge Joely Yeager issued an arrest warrant.
