Vancouver man pleads not guilty in robbery, shootout

An alleged robber who police say exchanged gunfire with a Vancouver man pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree assault and other charges.

Trial for Chuck Slanaker, 30, of Vancouver was set for Jan. 3.

Slanaker’s attorney, Gregg Schile, told Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis that his client waived a formal reading of charges against him, which also include first-degree burglary, first-degree attempted robbery, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Slanaker was allegedly involved in a shootout with Rickie Landacre, 58, early on the morning of Nov. 3 at Landacre’s home at 1416 N.E. 131st Ave. in the Fircrest neighborhood. Landacre told police that he met Sharita Martin and two other women at a bar in Portland and brought them back to his house earlier in the evening, police said. According to court documents, Land-acre and Martin discussed him paying her for sex.

At the house, police said Martin called Slanaker, her boyfriend, and told him that Landacre had marijuana plants in his house, triggering an alleged plan to rob him. Martin and one of her friends then left, police said.

Later, “Martin drives Slanaker to Landacre’s house,” Vancouver police Detective John Ringo wrote in a probable cause affidavit. She explained later to investigators that “she knows that Slanaker is going to rob Landacre, but says she does not want anything to do with the robbery.”

Shortly after 4 a.m., Slanaker came to the door displaying a gun and allegedly pistol-whipped Landacre before shooting him multiple times, according to court documents. Landacre grabbed a nearby handgun and fired back, hitting Slanaker multiple times.

Both men were hospitalized; Landacre is no longer listed as a patient and Slanaker was transported to jail from a local hospital earlier this month.

During the police investigation, detectives arrested Martin, 24. She also was arraigned Thursday and pleaded not guilty to first-degree burglary and first-degree attempted robbery.

Her trial was also set for Jan. 3.

Both Martin and Slanaker are being held in the Clark County Jail.