A man police say was wanted for arrest out of Richland is accused of stealing a handgun from a truck in Chehalis last week.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the suspect was staying at the Lewis County Gospel Mission at the time of his arrest.
Martavis R. Haggins, 26, of Kennewick, is charged with one count each of firearm theft, second-degree unlawful firearm possession, second-degree theft and second-degree vehicle prowl.
Haggins made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
Commissioner Cailen Cecil set Haggins’ bail at $50,000 cash or bond, in agreement with the state’s request, citing his “extensive” criminal history. She added that Haggins was already on community custody for a previous conviction.
According to Lewis County Jail records, Haggins is now serving time on a Department of Corrections (DOC) hold.
The affidavit noted that Haggins has had 15 arrest warrants issued in past cases.
During Monday’s hearing, defense attorney Rachael Tiller said Haggins was frustrated with the new charges.
According to the affidavit, Chehalis police responded to a vehicle prowl on July 10 and spoke with the married couple who reported the incident. The man said he’d chased the suspect after his wife had seen “someone inside their Dodge Ram,” but eventually stopped his pursuit because he was barefoot.
The victims reported that a loaded handgun and purse had been stolen from the truck. The purse held the woman’s wallet, which contained bank cards and identification.
The suspect, however, had allegedly left a backpack and Steve Madden purse at the scene.
The responding officer searched the backpack. He found a Coach purse containing a receipt that linked to a woman who’d reportedly been the victim of a vehicle prowl a day earlier.
According to the affidavit, police contacted the Lewis County Gospel Mission about possible “surveillance footage of a male matching the description provided by the (married couple).” The manager of the mission told police that someone “currently at the mission” fit that description.
Police went to the mission and detained the suspect, Haggins, after allegedly noticing a “metal object in his front pocket.”
The object turned out to be the alleged stolen handgun.
According to the affidavit, police searched Haggins and allegedly found four gift cards and two debit cards belonging to the female victim of the truck prowl. Haggins allegedly told police someone had given him the items, and he ‘did not know his name.”
Police reviewed security footage, which allegedly showed Haggins with the backpack later found at the truck.
Haggins is scheduled for an arraignment on Thursday.
