Two homeless people from Columbia, Mo accused of driving a stolen vehicle last month in Lafayette County appeared for their arraignment hearings recently.
A probable-cause statement says Higginsville Police officers noticed suspicious activity from two individuals in a vehicle near the junction of I-70 and Missouri Highway 13 on January 31. The officers were informed by dispatch that the vehicle was reported as stolen out of Columbia on January 30.
Officers spoke with the occupants, 32-year-old Phillip Thompson and 25-year-old Casandra Edwards. Thompson reportedly told the officers they were transporting the vehicle from Columbia to the Higginsville Junction for $150. Officers reportedly contacted Columbia PD who stated both Thompson and Edwards have a history of criminal activity including motor vehicle theft.
Online court documents say each suspect has been charged with a Class D Felony for Tampering with a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree. Bond for each has been set at $10,000 cash or surety.
Both suspects appeared for arraignment hearings and each entered a plea of not guilty on February 1. Thompson and Edwards each are scheduled to appear for a case hearing at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 13, at Lafayette County Circuit Court.