Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) arrested a 34-year-old male suspect on Feb. 9 following a robbery at the Sunset Chevron.
A man entered the store around 7:50 p.m. and took more than $300 worth of scratch lottery tickets while his female companion waited in the car. The store clerk, trying to prevent the theft, grabbed the suspect. The suspect and victim wrestled out the front door. The suspect punched the victim in the face and then fled on foot.
During the struggle, the suspect lost his coat in the parking lot, which contained his I.D, heroin, and several other personal belongings. Also during his attempt to escape, the suspect dropped all of the scratch lottery tickets. The suspect then fled south toward 77th Avenue Southeast.
Witnesses called and informed dispatch that the suspect had gotten into an older black Honda Accord and was leaving the area.
Detective Art Munoz, MIPD’s school resource officer, was working an extra duty assignment and responded to the dispatch call.
Munoz observed a vehicle matching the suspect’s description enter eastbound I-90 from Island Crest Way. He followed the vehicle until two other officers arrived to assist. They attempted to stop the suspect just prior to the East Mercer Way ramp.
The suspect exited the freeway at East Mercer Way and continued driving at approximately 20 miles per hour until the trailing officers were able to get the car to stop in the 3900 block of 91st Ave. SE.
When officers made contact with the driver and robber-passenger, the robber was in the process of trying to climb into the trunk from inside the car. The suspect immediately stated that the getaway driver, his girlfriend, had no knowledge of the theft. Munoz interviewed the suspect back at the station, where the suspect provided a full confession of his crime.
The suspect was booked into King County Jail, and his 37-year-old gal pal was cited for driving with a suspended license (3rd degree misdemeanor). The vehicle was impounded.
This is the second robbery at the Sunset Chevron since November. No one was seriously injured in either incident.
For more, see MIPD’s Facebook page.
