Thieves weren’t wiley enough
Two Port Orchard men were arrested and charged Monday with burglary following a failed attempt to steal scrap metal from a Day Road business.
Brothers Wayne and William Wiley broke into AGS Stainless early Monday morning, intent on stealing a large metal container full of scrap metal, said Deputy Police Chief Mark Duncan.
Because the container was too heavy to load in their truck, the suspects allegedly pushed it down the road with the vehicle before crashing on Miller Road.
After the wreck both men got out of the truck and fled. Police arrived to find it abandoned and scrap metal strewn about the road.
A Bremerton Police K-9 officer responded to the wreck and tracked down one of the suspects in the woods.
The second suspect was found a short time later walking toward the Agate Passage Bridge.
A fence and gate were damaged during the incident and will cost the company – which specializes in steel cable railings – about $500 to fix.
Duncan said the metal was worth about $300 and caused quite a ruckus during its brief journey, kicking up sparks and plenty of noise as it scraped along the pavement.
“One witness said it was the most God-awful noise he’d ever heard,” Duncan said.
– Chad Schuster
Suspect in fall holdup nabbed
A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the Halloween night stick-up of a Winslow Drugstore, Bainbridge Police said.
Simon Diot Stocker, formerly of Bainbridge Island, was arrested Monday on an unrelated drug charge and during an interview with police admitted to committing the Oct. 31 robbery.
He was booked into the Kitsap County Jail and is being held on $100,000 bail.
A man wearing a “skull” mask entered Vern’s Winslow Drug shortly before closing on Halloween night, displayed a handgun to an employee and demanded prescription pain medications, police said.
The employee complied, putting medications into a plastic bag, and the suspect fled through the back door.
Police released a surveillance photo of the suspect shortly after the crime, but no arrests had been made prior to Monday.
– Chad Schuster
Chilly Hilly lives up to its name
Rain, wind and 45 degree temperatures – plus the usual 2,700 feet worth of uphill climbs made this year’s Chilly Hilly quite, well, chilly and hilly.
Based on the turnout, riders must have known what they were getting into. An estimated 3,500 people pushed their pedals along the 33-mile route around the island on Sunday.
“It’s one of the most beautiful, scenic rides in the Northwest,” said Dave Douglas, events director for the Cascade Bicycle Club, which organizes the event. “You’ve got the nice ferry ride coming over, the water, the hills. It’s very Northwestery.”
Rain and mud-soaked riders trekked along a winding course that began at the Winslow ferry terminal and ended at Bainbridge Commons on Brien Drive. Volunteers cheered cyclists while directing them toward Wing Point and then north to Murden Cove and Rolling Bay.
Riders slowed a bit along Port Madison Bay to take in the view but sped up as they neared Battle Point Park, where numerous local groups offered up home-baked goods and steaming bowls of chili.
Numerous hills challenged riders, but Baker Hill proved especially tough.
Riders new to the course groaned as they rounded the corner from Lynwood Center Road and saw what awaited them. Many hopped off their saddles to walk up. Others pushed hard to conquer Baker Hill or tipped over trying.
“This is the first ride of the season so people really use this as the kick-off for other rides,” said Douglas.
Last year’s Chilly Hilly drew 4,200 riders from 19 states.
The record was set in 2005, when 4,700 cyclists descended on Bainbridge.
The ride, now in its 34th year, has enjoyed better-than-usual weather in recent years.
“We haven’t seen rain on the Chilly Hilly for seven years,” Douglas said.
Sunday’s wet weather may have deterred the less-hardy.
“We had 4,200 pre-register, but we knew some wouldn’t make it when they knew what the weather would be,” Douglas said.
The ride’s $17-22 registration fee supports the Cascade Bicycle Club, a nonprofit organization that promotes health and recreation through bicycle events, advocacy and education. The ride also benefits 10 local Bainbridge charities, including the Fort Ward Neighborhood Association and Bainbridge Rope Skippers.
