late entry for most creative use of a grinder while in an armed standoff, y'all
when you've got plenty of guns but you'd like some additional guns because you're in a hostage situation and swat standoff, and you can't access your spare guns because you shot your gun safe, you're gonna need to do some grinding
Man charged with kidnapping, assault in weekend Cache County SWAT incident
By Katie Workman, KSL.com | Posted - Dec 24th, 2019 @ 4:16pm
NEWTON, Cache County ? A man was charged Monday with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault in connection with a SWAT situation Sunday.
Stuart Chad Martin, 25, of Cache County, was charged Monday in the 1st District Court in Cache County with aggravated kidnapping-domestic violence, a first-degree felony; 13 counts of purchase, transfer, possession or use of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony; aggravated assault-domestic violence, a third-degree felony; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors.
The situation started Sunday when Martin began threatening to take his life while drinking vodka, and a woman in the home with him attempted to multiple times to calm him down, according to a probable cause affidavit. However, Martin grabbed a handgun from an adjacent room and continued threatening the woman, at one point screaming "you think I am not serious," and shooting a round into the floor of the home, the affidavit states.
He then became more agitated and threatened to kill the woman, pointing a gun at her head multiple times, the affidavit says.
At one point, Martin unsuccessfully attempted to open a gun safe in a bedroom in the home. When the woman tried and also could not open it, the affidavit says he pushed her aside, attempted to open the safe once more, and then discharged a round at the safe.
The argument continued to escalate as the two went outside to the backyard, and he pointed both guns at her head at one point and threatened again to kill her, according to the affidavit.
"He told her she had 3 hours to get her chores in the garage taken care of or he would kill her then if she didn't get her chores done on time," the affidavit says.
A relative called the woman at some point, and the woman encouraged the relative "to stay away from the house because she was afraid that he would shoot anyone that came to the home," according to the affidavit. She also told them she feared for her own life.
The relative called the police, the affidavit says, and Martin threatened to kill anyone who approached the home upon learning law enforcement had been notified. At this point he then took the safe to the garage and attempted to open it with a grinder.
While Martin was trying to open the safe, the victim returned indoors, where negotiators made contact and convinced her to leave the home.
"She was able to jump out of the bedroom window and run away from the home," the affidavit says.
Law enforcement officers made contact with Martin by phone. According to the affidavit, he refused to leave the residence and said he would shoot anyone who approached, including authorities, and said "he had the means to do so." On the phone, he also stated that he saw multiple officers and attempted to get them to show themselves.
Martin eventually left the home and surrendered to officers.
According to the affidavit, the woman gave written consent for authorities to enter the residence and search for evidence and weapons. She also stated that Martin had threatened her and his own life before.
Two loaded handguns, two fully-loaded AR-15 rifles with 30-round magazines, and one 12-gauge shotgun loaded with slugs were discovered in the home, according to the affidavit.
"The windows near the guns provided an easy view of the street and surrounding area," the affidavit says.
The safe was discovered with a hole cut open at the top and nine long guns located in or near it; a bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were also found in the safe, the affidavit states, and throughout the home officials found "a large cache of ammunition" and "numerous magazines of various capacities for varied guns" the affidavit states.
Fourteen guns in total and a "large cache of ammunition" were seized from the home, and the affidavit claims that Martin admitted to "threatening [the woman] and himself. He stated that he had pointed a gun at her on more than one occasion and had threatened to kill her. He also stated that he had been drinking heavily that evening and had smoked marijuana 2 days prior to this incident. When asked about the marijuana that was found in the safe, he stated that is was his."
He additionally admitted to threatening to shoot authorities and firing his weapon, according to the affidavit.
Newton man pleads not guilty, bound over for trial in hostage case
By Jackson Wilde staff writer 14 hrs ago
A Newton man pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges related to a December armed standoff with the Cache County Sheriff?s Office.
During a preliminary hearing, defense attorney Shannon Demler argued his client Stuart Chad Martin, 25, was experiencing a serious depressive episode intensified by alcohol ? he had no true intention of harming anyone other than himself. The alleged victim told the court she was not held hostage, but rather stayed with Martin to prevent a tragedy.
?I knew he wasn?t mentally stable,? the victim told the court, also stating Martin has long struggled with depression and ?doesn?t feel like he deserves (his family?s) love.?
Cache County prosecutors, however, maintain Martin posed a significant threat to the alleged victim as well as the deputies who responded to the scene. Cache County Sheriff?s Office deputies testified that Martin made threats to ?unload? on law enforcement, in addition to threats against the alleged victim at the end of a three hour timer if certain chores weren?t completed.
It?s alleged Martin held two handguns ? one loaded, one unloaded ? to the alleged victim?s head. In her testimony, the victim said Martin did this so she could better understand what he was going through.
At the time of the incident, deputies described Martin as ?upset? and ?emotional,? at one point telling deputies he was ?preparing for battle or a war.? When the alleged victim left the home through a window, deputies said she was ?crying? and appeared ?terrified.? Though two shots were fired in the home, deputies testified no shots were aimed at law enforcement or the victim.
Judge Thomas Willmore bound Martin over for trial on 17 felonies, including first-degree aggravated kidnapping and 13 counts of third-degree possession of a firearm by a restricted person. However, Willmore concluded there was not probable cause for all charges against Martin ? three counts of second-degree assault against a peace officer with a weapon were dropped.
Willmore said threats of using a dangerous weapon against the victim, in addition to Snapchat messages with threatening content, was enough to reasonably believe a kidnapping may have occurred.
?The garage will be insulated,? Willmore said, reading from one of the Snapchat messages, ?or people will die, starting with (the alleged victim).?
Demler told The Herald Journal that though the burden for preliminary hearings is low, he and his client were hopeful more charges would have been dropped.
?It?s clearly a case about mental illness and depression,? Demler said.
Though Willmore said he was concerned for Martin?s mental health, he ordered Martin continue to be held without bail.
?You are a danger to yourself,? Willmore said, ?and you?re a danger to others.?
A pretrial conference was scheduled for Feb. 25.
On Dec. 22, Cache County Sheriff?s Office SWAT responded to the report of a possible hostage situation at Martin?s home in Newton. According to an affidavit of probable cause, Martin became increasingly drunk and agitated while making threats against the woman and himself. Unable to gain entry to his gun safe, he fired a round into the safe?s combination keypad, and with the help of a hand truck, hauled the safe to the garage. He cut the safe open with a grinder and a reciprocating saw, according to prosecutors, to gain access to more weapons.
It?s alleged Martin told the victim she had three hours to insulate the garage and fix a wood-burning stove or she would be killed.
After speaking with negotiators, the alleged victim exited the home through a window and ran to SWAT stationed at a nearby church. Martin eventually surrendered to law enforcement with no further incident and was taken into custody.
late entry for most creative use of a grinder while in an armed standoff, y'all
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