Charges filed in armed robbery of Yuma store
Charges in Thursday night’s armed robbery of a Family Dollar Store were filed against a 24-year-old Yuma man on Tuesday in Yuma Justice Court.
In what was a brief hearing, Joel Lara was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Greg Stewart, who informed him that prosecutors, after reviewing the case against him, were charging him with three felony offenses.
Those charges, Stewart continued, were armed robbery, aggravated assault and misconduct involving weapons — for being a prohibited possessor.
In addition to ordering Lara’s bond remain at the $200,000 it had previously been set at, Stewart also asked if he needed the court to appoint him an attorney to represent him, to which he replied that he did not.
Stewart also informed Lara his case would likely go before the grand jury within the next few days to determine if there was enough probable cause for it to proceed to Superior Court.
If it doesn’t, Stewart said, he would return to Justice Court for a preliminary hearing, which he scheduled for 4 p.m. on March 5.
According to Yuma police, when officers responded to the store, located at 2298 W. 8th St., at about 5 p.m., they were told that a man wearing a mask entered the store, displayed a handgun and demanded money from a cashier. He then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The suspect was later identified Lara, and he was spotted a short time later in the area riding a bicycle.
Lara, who is on parole, was arrested after a foot pursuit by responding officers, and booked into the Yuma County jail, police said.
YPD encourages anyone with any information about this case to call them at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.