Man Accused of Christmas Weekend Home Robbery, Caught Trying to Get in Missoula Home
A Stevensville man accused of breaking into a couple’s home and then robbing them at gunpoint during Christmas weekend last December, was caught by Missoula Police Wednesday night around 6:00 p.m., apparently trying to break into a different home. Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh explains.
"Officers responded to what was reported as a trespassing in progress. Further details indicate that a male was attempting to get into a building in the 2700 block of Cooper street," Welsh said. "Officers arrived and made contact with the male nearby, identifying him as 21-year-old Rowdy Stengar who has warrants out for his arrest out of Ravalli county."
The charges from Ravalli County case include Robbery, and assault with a weapon. This time, police managed to stop Stengar before he gained entry, but he is now facing an additional felony charge.
"He was placed under arrest and was soon found to be in possession of methamphetamine, as well as some paraphernalia to go along with it," Welsh said. "He was taken into custody and transported to jail. He gave a reason why he was at the home and when officers investigated that, they learned that he was not telling the truth. There was a person spoken to by the officers that was associated with the residence later who stated that there was no access granted to this individual to the home and asked that he be removed."
Because he was apprehended before gaining entry to the residence, Stengar is only facing two new charges: a felony drug charge, and a misdemeanor drug paraphernalia charge on top of the charges out of Ravalli County. Welsh says he was not found to be carrying a weapon during the incident in Missoula.