Hot Springs man charged in Valero armed robbery
A Hot Springs man initially detained Monday shortly after the owners of a local gas station were robbed at gunpoint was later arrested on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with the robbery.
Jamal Devon Brewer, 20, who lists an Avery Street address, was charged with aggravated robbery, punishable by up to life in prison, and theft of property obtained by threat of serious physical injury, punishable by up to 20 years, and a misdemeanor count of fleeing on foot.
Brewer, who also had a warrant for failure to appear on traffic charges from last year, was being held on zero bond Tuesday and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 12:30 p.m. Monday, the owners of the Valero,
3228 Central Ave., were getting into their car parked at the store with $15,800 in cash for deposit in the bank.
They were approached by two suspects, both armed with handguns, and robbed the owners by forcibly taking the cash from them. The suspects then jumped into a black GMC Acadia to flee just as Hot Springs police Officer Richard Nunez was driving by the store.
The female owner yelled at Nunez and pointed to the Acadia as it pulled out of the lot. Nunez “began chasing the suspect vehicle,” a news release said, as the Acadia immediately pulled into the lot next to Colton’s Steak House, 120 Craw- ford St., and the two suspects both fled on foot toward the 600 block of Higdon Ferry Road.
“As the suspects fled on foot, they began dropping cash as they ran,” the release said. Nunez had alerted other officers who converged on the area, setting up a perimeter.
The affidavit states Officers Brian Branstetter and Richard Davis spotted a man, later identified as Brewer, in the apartment complex at 605 Higdon Ferry and upon seeing them he “took off running.”
He was apprehended after a brief chase and a computer check revealed the failure to appear warrant so he was taken into custody. A search of his person allegedly revealed he had $5,295 in cash and a bank deposit slip belonging to the victims in his possession.
Video surveillance from the area where the two suspects jumped out the car revealed the driver was wearing the same color pants and shoes that Brewer was wearing, the affidavit states.
The second suspect has not been located as of Tuesday and Cpl. Kirk Zaner said the only description given was that the suspect was “wearing all black.”
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Hot Springs Police Department at 501-321-6789.