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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.
She was able to jump out of the bedroom window and run away from the home.
–the affidavit
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.
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.
–the affidavit
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.
Martin was booked into jail on Sunday.
