Aiexpress – A local woman, aged 42, was arrested in Pocatello for allegedly trying to rob a nearby convenience store using a lighter.
Rainee Willene Racehorse, a resident of Pocatello, is facing multiple charges, including assault with the intent to commit a serious felony and criminal possession of a financial transaction card, both of which are felonies. Additionally, she is also charged with providing false information to law enforcement and resisting and delaying an officer, both of which are misdemeanors.
Around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, the incident started to occur as Pocatello police were sent to the Chevron on Bench Road in Pocatello. The reason behind their dispatch was the report of an attempted robbery, as stated by police and court records obtained by the Idaho State Journal.
While en route to the business, the police received information that the suspect had escaped from the Chevron and entered the Phillips 66 gas station across the street.
According to the police, when the officers approached Racehorse at the Phillips 66, she initially refused to provide her real name and date of birth.
According to the police, Racehorse disclosed her accommodation details to the officers, stating that she was staying in a room at the Grand Idaho Inn & Suites. The clerk at the Grand Idaho confirmed that Racehorse was indeed staying in that specific room.
According to the report, the officers verified that Racehorse had an active warrant with the Pocatello police before proceeding to search her. When they tried to search her jacket pocket, Racehorse resisted their efforts, as mentioned by the police. However, the officers did manage to find a debit card that belonged to someone else and a lighter on her. Following this, Racehorse was placed in the back of a patrol car and taken to the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello, as stated in the report.
According to police, when officers interviewed the clerk at the Chevron, they learned that Racehorse had entered the store and tried to buy a pack of cigarettes. However, the card she was using was declined.
According to the report, Racehorse tried to buy a $20 gift card using the debit card, but the transaction was declined as well.
According to the police, the clerk reported that Racehorse began interrogating him about the amount of cash in his register. She then swiftly seized a Bic lighter from the counter, igniting it to produce a flame, and held it menacingly near the clerk’s face. While doing so, she uttered the words, “You must hand over the money; this is a robbery.”
According to the report, the clerk instructed Racehorse to leave the store and informed her that he would be calling 911. In response, she quickly fled to the gas station across the street.
The racehorse found itself facing charges and was subsequently arrested and booked in the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
The prosecution will aim to establish sufficient evidence against her during a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 29th, in order to elevate the case from the magistrate to the district court level.
If she is found guilty of both felony charges, Racehorse could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison and be required to pay a fine of up to $100,000.
