ST. GEORGE — An alleged tag-switching theft escalated into a robbery charge after a store employee was reportedly assaulted during an encounter with the suspect near the self-checkout line of Walmart on Pioneer Road on Pioneer Day.
Domonic Lamont Wright, 33, of St. George, was charged Tuesday with second-degree felony robbery and three misdemeanor drug-related offenses following an incident initially reported Monday as a theft at the Walmart on Pioneer Road in St. George.
According to the affidavit filed in support of Wright’s arrest, the suspect entered the store shortly after 4 p.m. and went through the self-checkout line to purchase a KitchenAid mixer priced at $359.
Officers learned that instead of paying the price listed, he reportedly swapped the price tag with another item that was priced at $13.75, which the suspect paid and then left the store with the mixer.
The store’s loss prevention agents told police that after observing the suspect committing what is referred to as a “tag switch theft,” one store agent approached Wright and advised him that the mixer was not priced correctly. The suspect reportedly told the staff he paid the amount displayed on the register and then started to leave.
After the store’s loss prevention agent grabbed the suspect’s cart, Wright “shoulder checked” the employee and left the store, the report alleges.
While reviewing the store’s security footage, officers watched the encounter between the employee and the suspect, which “clearly” showed Wright yank the cart away as he slammed his left shoulder into the store employee, knocking them back a few steps before leaving the property.
Officers tracked the suspect to a motel on St. George Boulevard shortly thereafter, and during a search of the room, they reportedly recovered suspected heroin and methamphetamine, but the mixer was nowhere to be found.
Wright told officers that he gave the mixer “to someone.” He was arrested and booked into jail in Washington County later that evening. The charges as listed were filed the following day, and since Wright reportedly slammed the employee with his shoulder, police say, the felony robbery charge remained unchanged.
Wright made an initial appearance in court on Friday and was remanded to remain in custody in Washington County. A preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place on Aug. 8 in the 5th District Court in St. George.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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