Two Spokane residents under suspicion of stealing more than $1,000 in merchandise from Walmart pleaded not guilty in Whitman County Superior Court on Friday.
Tamia Kimball and Corey Ness were apprehended Monday morning after the two were seen allegedly stealing hundreds of dollars worth of items from a local Walmart. They were arrested after their car ran out of gas from two discontinued car chases.
Kimball, 55, was charged for second-degree retail theft, third-degree driving while license is suspended, and eluding. Ness, 41, was charged for second-degree retail theft. Both Kimball and Ness pleaded not guilty to these charges in Superior Court.
The case began when deputies from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office responded to a theft in progress at the Pullman Walmart, where Kimball and Ness were allegedly seen fleeing from the store with more than $1,000 in merchandise, according to past reporting. Ness was allegedly observed leaving the store with a cart-full of items while Walmart security followed behind him, Whitman County Prosecutor Denis Tracy said in court. He said Ness began to run to the suspected vehicle, allegedly waving to Kimball who was behind the wheel, to hastily exit the store grounds.
The Pullman Police Department located the suspected vehicle in Pullman and tried to stop the vehicle, but the suspects did not yield, according to past reporting. Tracy said Kimball and Ness were allegedly driving too erratically that Pullman police called off the pursuit. They were seen traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 195.
The Whitman County Sheriff’s Office found the suspected vehicle in Colfax driving northbound and tried to stop the vehicle, but their attempts failed. Kimball and Ness were allegedly seen driving more than 80 mph in a posted 25 mph speed zone near Colfax schools, according to past reporting. Tracy said Kimball was allegedly observed driving the vehicle on heavily trafficked areas, and deputies terminated the chase because she was driving too dangerously. The two were watched driving northbound on U.S. 195 out of Colfax.
Deputies checked U.S. 195 and found a vehicle parked and unoccupied on Washington State Route 271 between Rosalia and Oakesdale, according to past reporting. Officers found the vehicle stopped because it had run out of gas. Ness was located hitchhiking east of the vehicle on S.R. 271, and Kimball was later discovered trying to flag down a patrol vehicle for a ride.
Kimball and Ness are currently in custody at the Whitman County Jail, each are held on a $5,000 cash bond or 50,000 surety. Tracy said the bond was placed this high because Ness and Kimball had already been seen trying to flee from police in a dangerous manner. Ness and Kimball will appear in court April 7 for a readiness hearing and April 17 for trial.
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.
