A woman was arrested on a warrant last week after she allegedly used a false identity to buy a Jeep from a Chehalis auto dealer.
According to prosecutors, the recovered Jeep was found inoperable and spray-painted black.
Maleia R. Stewart, 50, of Raymond, was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, first-degree criminal impersonation and first-degree malicious mischief in May. She was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail on July 23.
Stewart made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Jail on July 24. A judge maintained the $20,000 bail amount set in her arrest warrant.
During the hearing, defense attorney Rachael Tiller said Stewart had adamantly stated she was not the person who committed the crime. Stewart had reportedly said she could show she had been in the hospital during the same time period.
Stewart has had 50 arrest warrants issued for past cases, according to court documents.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on Thursday.
According to a probable cause affidavit, in April, the manager of Awesome Chevrolet in Chehalis reported to police the dubious circumstances surrounding the sale of a 2016 Jeep Wrangler to a woman named Laina Fisher.
“After the sale, the dealership received notification that the loan was denied due to suspicious documents provided by the buyer,” the affidavit said.
Fisher had never returned to the dealership to sign additional documents, the manager said.
Later, Fisher allegedly told the dealership the Jeep “had broken down for the third time, and that it was being left at a location with the keys in the console,” according to the affidavit.
When the manager came to work the next day, he found the towed Jeep had been spray-painted black. The vehicle would not run, according to the manager.
The dealership said the Jeep’s purchase price had been $18,500, and estimated damages over $5,000 to its engine and exterior.
Police reviewed the documents provided by Fisher during the sale.
According to the affidavit, the paystub allegedly corresponded with a closed business. The insurance card appeared to be altered. And when police ran a records check, the driver’s license of Laina R. Fisher showed no returns.
Police later learned that Laina R. Fisher was listed as an alias for Maleia R. Stewart on several warrant returns.
Stewart’s listed address lined up with the address allegedly provided to the dealership.
According to the affidavit, the dealership’s finance manager identified Stewart as the suspect in a photo lineup.
