Bail set for two young men accused of robbing Lacey Chevron station
A Thurston County Superior Court Commissioner set bail at $25,000 for an 18-year-old accused of robbing a Lacey Chevron on Ruddell Road with a 17-year-old.
Lacey officers arrested the two young men on Wednesday, and both teens attended separate court hearings Thursday.
The incident occurred early Wednesday at a Chevron station at 5700 Ruddell Road SE, according to a Lacey Police Department Facebook post. The two men allegedly pointed what appeared to be a gun at the clerk and stole some items before fleeing on foot.
Officers arrived soon after and unsuccessfully tracked the two men with a K9 unit. After obtaining video surveillance from surrounding businesses and receiving tips, police arrested the 17-year-old suspect.
Later that day, the post says a parent helped turn in their 18-year-old son to the police, saying he participated in the robbery as well. Police later located the weapon, which turned out to be an airsoft gun.
The 18-year-old was booked into Thurston County jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery on Wednesday. On Thursday, Thurston County Superior Court Commissioner Nate Kortokrax found probable cause for the alleged crime.
Kortokrax also set bail for the 18-year-old at $25,000, citing a “substantial danger of violence.”
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Cailen Cecil Wevodau requested Kortokrax set bail at $50,000. That amount would have matched the bail amount set for the 17-year-old in juvenile court earlier that day, she said.
Public defense attorney Ahmed Jenkins asked for the 18-year-old to be released on his personal recognizance. Jenkins said he lacked a criminal record and evidently felt enough remorse that he turned himself in.
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the alleged incident from the perspective of law enforcement.
Officers responded to the Chambers Chevron on Ruddell Road about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday and contacted the clerk.
The clerk reportedly told officers two young men asked to purchase a box of nicotine vapes. Then one of the teens pulled out a gun with a red bandana on it, according to the statement.
The armed person allegedly demanded three more boxes of nicotine vapes and the cash in the register. The cashier complied and then the two left the store.
Video surveillance corroborated the clerk’s account of events, the statement says, and showed the two men running southeast from the store.
A K9 unit tracked the men through Crystal Street and Opal Court but lost their scent.
Later that day, the statement says the mother of the 18-year-old contacted the Chevron manager. She reportedly told the manager her son committed the robbery.
After the exchange, the 18-year-old turned himself in at the Lacey Police Department. The 18-year-old allegedly admitted to the crime, saying he came up with the idea to rob the Chevron with the 17-year-old after taking oxycodone and Xanax.
The gun was a painted airsoft gun wrapped in a bandana, meant to represent a gang.
He allegedly told police he and his friend, the 17-year-old, were in a suicidal mindset and wanted police to kill them.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties operates a confidential, anonymous crisis intervention hotline 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at 360-586-2800.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is another option for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255.
This story was originally published March 18, 2022 at 2:17 PM.
