Centralia woman arrested for allegedly breaking into home, stealing car after slew of lesser offenses over the weekend

Suspect remained out of custody until alleged felony offenses due to “booking restrictions” at Lewis County Jail, according to Centralia police 

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Centralia police booked a woman into the Lewis County Jail Sunday morning after having six separate interactions with her over the weekend, with alleged offenses ranging from indecent exposure to vehicle theft and driving under the influence. 

The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office charged the woman, identified as Melissa Green, 41, of Centralia, with one count each of residential burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude a police vehicle and DUI on Monday. 

Officers with the Centralia Police Department first contacted Green at 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, for a report she was “flashing her breasts at juvenile children” in the 900 block of Mikayla Lane near Centralia Middle School, according to police call logs. At the time, officers cited Green for indecent exposure and issued her a court summons for an unrelated Centralia Municipal Court warrant. 

“Green was not booked into the jail due to Lewis County Jail booking restrictions,” the Centralia Police Department stated. 

At 4:05 p.m. that same day, officers responded to the 1000 block of North Scheuber Road for a report of a disorderly woman, later identified as Green, “looking into vehicle windows and hitting vehicles,” according to call logs. Officers confirmed there was no damage to the vehicles and moved Green along at the reporting party’s request. 

A couple hours later, at 6:15 p.m., officers responded to a grocery store in the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue for a report of a disorderly subject, who was later identified as Green. Officers trespassed Green from the store. 

Centralia officers again contacted Green at 8:55 p.m. after responding to a report she was “setting up a tent in an apartment complex parking lot” in the 1000 block of North Scheuber Road. She was moved along. 



Shortly after, at about 10:15 p.m., Green allegedly went back to the Harrison Avenue grocery store “and was threatening employees,” according to call logs. Officers cited Green for trespassing, but said they did not book her into the jail “due to jail booking restrictions.” 

Centralia officers got another call about Green just after 5:45 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8 — this time for a report Green had illegally entered a residence in the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue, stole keys to a vehicle and drove off in the stolen vehicle. An officer located Green and attempted to stop her, but Green allegedly ran a red light and fled northbound on Interstate 5, according to the Centralia Police Department. 

“Officers did not pursue Mrs. Green to comply with Washington state vehicle pursuit laws,” an officer stated in the call log. Deputies with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office reportedly saw the stolen vehicle in Thurston County soon after, but Green allegedly “eluded deputies who tried to stop her.” 

A few hours later, just after 9:50 a.m. on Sunday, Centralia police received a report of “a transient female looking into vehicles and taking items from patios” at an apartment complex in the 1000 block of North Scheuber Road. When officers arrived, “they located Green inside the stolen vehicle and blocked her in before she could flee,” according to the Centralia Police Department. 

Lewis County Jail records indicate Green was booked into the jail at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8. 

A preliminary hearing for the felony and DUI charges was scheduled for 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 9 in Lewis County Superior Court. 

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office implemented booking restrictions at the jail due to a remodeling project in 2019, according to previous Chronicle coverage. Those booking restrictions were still in place as of March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but The Chronicle was unable to confirm with Lewis County Corrections staff on Monday what booking restrictions were still in place.