A 33-year-old Puyallup man was charged in Lewis County Superior Court Thursday with second-degree theft after allegedly stealing approximately $2,000 in merchandise from Rite Aid and Walgreens in Centralia.
Joshua Ray Mendiola faces a punishment of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He appeared for his preliminary hearing in court Thursday, when bail was set at $5,000 cash or bond by Judge Paul Strophy, reduced from a previously set amount of $10,000.
On Aug. 18, Chehalis Police Department Officer Francisco Lima was advised of a FLOCK camera hit for a black Ford Escape that was involved in a theft. The theft took place at the Rite Aid on Harrison Avenue in Centralia. A description of the suspect was provided, and it was reported he had stolen cold medicine and bottles of vitamins, according to charging documents filed by the prosecutor.
When arriving in the area of Louisiana Avenue and Chamber of Commerce Way in Chehalis, Lima went to the Walgreens parking lot to search for the vehicle. He observed the vehicle and approached, noting that it was occupied by a white male, identified as Mendiola. Lima advised the male he was not free to leave and was being detained.
As he was speaking with Mendiola, Lima observed a male exiting Walgreens heading toward the vehicle carrying a bag that had alarms going off inside of it, according to court documents. This male was also detained and identified as Ian J. Avis, 30, of Puyallup. As Avis was being placed in handcuffs, the driver of the Escape put the vehicle in drive and sped out of the parking lot in a “reckless manner,” according to court documents. Lima noted that the Escape nearly collided with another vehicle, and he could hear car horns and vehicle brakes screeching.
Avis was found to have multiple warrants for his arrest. The bag he was in possession of was searched and found to contain multiple items with security tags on them. Lima contacted a Walgreens employee and observed surveillance footage of Avis leaving the store without paying for the items. The total value of the stolen items from Walgreens was $741.81, according to court documents.
Avis identified the driver as Mendiola and said the vehicle belonged to his father. A Department of Licensing check verified that Mendiola lived at the same address as the registered owner of the vehicle and was the driver of the vehicle.
It was discovered that the theft from Rite Aid involved the same individuals and resulted in the theft of over $1,300 in merchandise, according to court documents. Avis said the stolen merchandise from that store was inside the Escape that had fled the scene.
Mendiola has a prior felony conviction for second-degree robbery in 2014 and a federal charge of delivery of heroin in 2020, when he received a 36-month sentence. He has numerous misdemeanor charges and convictions for trespassing. He has 12 warrants issued in his past.
The state asked to maintain Mendiola’s previous bail set at $10,000, but Strophy met Defense Attorney Rachael Tiller’s request for $5,000.
Mendiola’s arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 9.
