In a recently issued decision dated February 9, 2026, the Washington Court of Appeals, Division I, upheld the convictions of Caleb Dane Bell for residential burglary and motor vehicle theft. The court ruled that law enforcement had sufficient probable cause to arrest Bell and that the evidence recovered during and after the arrest was lawfully obtained.

The case unfolded in late 2021 when surveillance footage captured a man entering Helena Matheson’s home and leaving in her Mazda. Matheson discovered upon her return that both the vehicle and a check were missing. That bulletin was circulated among law enforcement, including the King County Sheriff’s Office.

Days later, Seattle Police Officer Yang Xu responded to a separate burglary report involving a missing 2015 Audi A6 with California plates. On December 4, deputies Durrant and Koontz observed Bell inside a black Audi A6 matching the stolen car’s description. After running the license plate and confirming the vehicle was reported stolen, they arrested Bell at a pawn shop. During a search incident to arrest, deputies found Matheson’s missing check in Bell’s wallet. The court credited testimony confirming that Bell bore a strong resemblance to the person seen in the surveillance images and that the stolen vehicle report had been generated through a reliable, standardized process.

Bell challenged the arrest, arguing it violated both the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 7 of the Washington State Constitution, asserting there was no probable cause. The trial court disagreed, finding that the officers had both means to know the vehicle was stolen and firsthand observation of Bell in the stolen vehicle—sufficient to support a reasonable belief of criminal activity. Judge Mann’s appellate opinion affirmed that conclusion, referencing precedents that distinguished this case from others in which probable cause was deemed insufficient due to lack of prior confirmation of theft or lack of reliability in vehicle report generation. The court concluded the arrest and subsequent search were constitutionally sound and upheld Bell’s convictions.

Why This Matters Locally
In Longview, Kelso, and broader Cowlitz County, this case holds significance for law enforcement practice and the community’s expectations of constitutional policing. The decision clarifies that law enforcement may rely on timely, disseminated stolen vehicle reports and direct observation of an individual in a suspicious vehicle to make a lawful arrest. By affirming these protocols, the ruling reinforces the procedural legitimacy of such arrests—provided they are based on reliable, officially validated information.

Lack of probable cause is a frequently raised defense in criminal cases; this ruling underscores the court’s insistence on rigorous standards for evidence and authorization. It may influence local agencies’ training, internal procedures, and thresholds for pursuing arrests based on circulated crime-related information.

For community members and public defenders in Cowlitz County, this decision may shape how similar cases—particularly involving vehicle-related property crimes—are investigated, challenged, or defended in court.

Columbia Countercurrent will continue monitoring related developments, including whether Bell pursues further appeals or whether the State adopts any procedural changes in response.