2 Women Arrested After Company Questions Check

A woman has been arrested for allegedly trying to buy $37,000 worth of platinum with a bad check. A second woman faces charges of assaulting a police officer at the scene, authorities said.

The women, both listed by police as transients with no known address, were arrested late Thursday afternoon at Monex International, a precious metals investment firm in the 4000 block of Birch Street.

According to police, Samantha Johnson, 28, also known as Cynthia Riddle, was arrested at 4:15 p.m. on suspicion of commercial burglary.

Tia Ann Taylor, 26, was arrested 15 minutes later in the parking lot outside the building on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. She tried to drive away as an officer approached the car, but he grabbed the half-open door and forced his way into the driver’s seat, Newport police officer Frank Gordon said. They hit four parked cars before coming to a stop.

Gordon said Johnson, identifying herself as Riddle, made an appointment at Monex to purchase a large amount of platinum.

When she arrived, a longtime employee at the firm recognized her as someone who had tried to pass a bad check several years ago, said Kimbrough Bassett, vice president of finance and administration for Monex.

During a routine verification of funds to cover a $37,000 cashier’s check, bank employees informed Monex employees that account information had been falsified, Bassett said. A bank employee then notified police, while Monex officials kept Johnson at the scene, he said.

When police arrived at the building, Taylor, who had been waiting in the lobby and had been trying to contact Johnson by phone, became nervous and left to sit in her car in the parking lot, Gordon said.

Both women are being held in Orange County Jail on $250,000 bail each.