A traffic stop Tuesday morning for a cellphone violation led to felony drug and auto theft charges against a 47-year-old Mountain View man. ADVERTISING A traffic stop Tuesday morning for a cellphone violation led to felony drug and auto theft
A traffic stop Tuesday morning for a cellphone violation led to felony drug and auto theft charges against a 47-year-old Mountain View man.
According to court documents filed by police, Stanton William Muragin was talking on a cellphone while driving when he was pulled over by police on Highway 11 by Kurtistown Park. When police ran the license plate number on the 1991 black Nissan pickup truck Muragin was allegedly driving, it matched a 1995 Honda sedan registered to Muragin and another individual. A check of the vehicle identification number found the truck was stolen from Hilo on Oct. 10. It was also determined that Muragin was driving without a license.
Muragin was arrested. At the Hilo police station, he was patted down and found to have 64.7 grams of a substance that tested positive for crystal methamphetamine, a marijuana joint and a glass pipe, documents state.
Muragin was charged with first- and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, marijuana possession, two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, fraudulent use of a license plate, and driving without a license and insurance.
Bail was set at $107,250 and Muragin made his initial court appearance Thursday.
Deputy Public Defender Jiro Yuda asked Hilo District Judge Michael Udovic to reduce Muragin’s bail and Deputy Prosecutor Winston Albright objected, noting Muragin is on probation for felony domestic abuse.
“The (probation revocation hearing) is actually taking place (today) upstairs,” Albright said, referring to Hilo Circuit Court. “We’ll note that the sentence was originally a one-year jail sentence with five years probation. The defendant, according to the bail report today … tested positive for methamphetamine.”
Albright added Muragin has been convicted of misdemeanor assault and DUI, with four convictions for misdemeanor domestic abuse, 16 for violating a protective order, 10 for contempt of court and two for failure to appear.
Udovic maintained Muragin’s bail and ordered him to return for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. Monday.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
