Man tased, arrested in Chubbuck after fight for stolen car
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CHUBBUCK — A man police say was trying to get into a stolen vehicle when he was confronted by the owner is now facing a felony charge.
Joseph Malungahu Ataata, 36, has been charged with grand theft by receiving or possessing stolen property, court records show. He has also been charged with a misdemeanor for obstructing an officer.
Chubbuck Police responded to a disturbance call at Pine Ridge Mall around 8 p.m. on Dec. 23, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The caller told police that a man trying to steal a car was involved in a fight with the owner of the car.
The vehicle was a 2002 Volkswagen Passat, according to the criminal complaint.
The first officer to arrive at the scene noted two men “wrapped up” on the ground, struggling to hold each other down. When the officer told the men to stop, both men stood up. One walked toward three other men near the scene while the other man, later identified as Ataata, tried to run away. The first man grabbed Ataata and tried to hold him.
Because the officer could not determine who was the aggressor or potential risks, the officer told the first man to let go of Ataata. When the man let Ataata go, the officer tased Ataata.
The officer waited for the other officers to arrive to detain Ataata.
As other officers arrived, they searched things they were told belonged to Ataata. Inside a black bag, they found amphetamines, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The bag also contained purses the officers did not believe belonged to Ataata, as well as credit cards and IDs with other people’s names on them.
After he was medically cleared by EMS, Ataata told officers he was unsure what had happened. He said he was picking a car up for a friend, according to the affidavit.
Officers then spoke with the other man involved in the squabble. He said he had been in contact with a Chubbuck detective about a car that had recently been stolen from him. He said the car was found in the mall parking lot, and he and some family members were waiting near the car for someone to come to get it.
The owner said that he saw Ataata, dropped off by a taxi, approach the Passat, and confronted him. He said Ataata tried to push past him to get to the car, so he pulled Ataata to the ground with the intent of holding him there until officers arrived.
Ataata was arrested and taken to Bannock County Jail, where he was booked and is being held on a $40,000 bond.
Though Ataata has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Ataata could face up to 21 years in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Scott Axline on Jan. 10.