Suspect who shot at deputies arraigned on 28 felony counts in Pierce County
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - Update:
Pierce County Prosecutor Mary Robnett says Jacob Skaggs was arraigned on Sept. 28 for 28 felony counts.
He has been in Department of Corrections custody since he was captured by The U.S. Marshals-led Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force and Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies on Nov. 29, 2021.
The Sheriff's Department says Skaggs rammed a task force vehicle and fired shots as he ran from task force members.
Skaggs was transferred from prison to the Pierce County jail today for his arraignment.
Some of the charges include:
- Second-degree arson
- Five counts of theft of a motor vehicle
- Two counts of first-degree theft
- Second-degree burglary
- Second-degree theft
- Aiming or discharging firearms or dangerous weapons
- Three counts of theft of a firearm
- Two counts of residential burglary
- Unlawful possession of a firearm
- Second-degree assault
- First-degree malicious mischief
- Unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle
- Second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm
- Third-degree assault
He is being kept in jail on a Department of Corrections hold.
ORIGINAL:
Detectives on the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force are asking for the public’s help to find Jacob B. Skaggs.
Pierce County prosecutors have charged the 45-year-old in four active cases, all with bench warrants for his arrest. Those charges include two counts of second-degree identity theft, two counts of second-degree possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and theft of a motor vehicle.
Pierce County Sheriff’s detectives say he stole a woman’s wallet out of her purse in her shopping cart at a Fred Meyer on Oct. 10, 2019. He then used her American Express bank card at Wal-Mart at Kohl’s shortly after the theft, detectives said.
Skaggs is also accused of using a woman’s stolen credit cards at stores at the South Hill Mall that were taken when her car was prowled at the Chapman trail in Puyallup on Nov. 21, 2020. According to the charging documents, deputies obtained surveillance video showing Skaggs and another man using the stolen cards at different stores.
On May 11, a deputy stopped Skaggs who was driving a black 2000 Honda Civic that had been stolen in Seattle. The license plate had been switched with a plate of a different stolen car out of Seattle. According to the charging documents, Skaggs told the deputy that his friend, "Mark," had loaned him the car but didn’t know Mark’s last name, couldn’t describe him and didn’t know where he lived or how to contact him. When asked how he was going to return the car, Skaggs said, "I don’t know."
The deputy also found nine "shaved" keys on a key ring. When asked about them, Skaggs told the deputy he didn’t own any other cars and just like to collect keys. He denied knowing they were "shaved." Shaved keys have the edges shaved down so they can be used in multiple vehicles.
The theft of a motor vehicle charge stems from a case on June 9 when detectives on the Auto Theft Task Force say Skaggs stole a Honda Civic from Evergreen Lutheran High School in Tacoma that belonged to the Pacific NW Lutheran High School Association. A charge of theft of a motor vehicle was filed on Oct. 8 and a bench warrant issued for his arrest.
If you can tell detectives where to find Skaggs, submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Tacoma-Pierce County through the P3 Tips App on your cell phone or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to his arrest.