By TOM McLAUGHLIN | Daily News
Published: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 15:33 PM.
Walton County deputies worked fast Tuesday to capture three men who had robbed the McDonald’s inside the Loves Travel Stop at Mossy Head Industrial Park.
The men entered the truck stop facility at 3:15 a.m. with their faces “partially covered,” a Walton County Sheriff’s Office news release said.
“One of the suspects brandished a 22 magnum handgun and demanded money,” it said.
Fleeing with approximately $2,500 the perpetrators turned south on State Road 285 and attempted to make their getaway on nearby Interstate 10.
But a Walton deputy working an extra job at an RV park across the street from the industrial park had a different idea. He pulled over the 2008 Mazda identified as the suspect’s vehicle on the westbound entrance ramp.
Two of the three suspects were taken into custody. Suspect number three was apprehended a few hours later in Mossy Head near the intersection of U.S. 90 and Emma Lane, the report said.
Walton Correctional Institute staff and the Florida Highway Patrol helped locate the third suspect.
All three were from out of state. They were identified in the release as Kelly Eugene Stewart, 18, of Slidel, La. Trevor Bernard Smalls, 19, of Mobile, Al. and Christopher Wayne Smith, 20, of Slidel, La.
They were charged with armed robbery and Smith was additionally charged with aggravated assault, the release said.
Walton County Lt. Adam Falk said in an email that the assault charge stemmed from Smith’s waving a gun in the manager’s face and making threats.
Love’s Travel Stop spokeswoman Kealy Dorian said incidents like Tuesday’s are investigated “on a case by case basis.”
She said while existing security measures could be considered at Mossy Head, “I’m confident we’re doing everything we can to maintain adequate security for our facility and employees.”
--------
Adequate security?
$2,500 is allot of money to have laying around at 3:15 in the morning.
Published: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 15:33 PM.
Walton County deputies worked fast Tuesday to capture three men who had robbed the McDonald’s inside the Loves Travel Stop at Mossy Head Industrial Park.
The men entered the truck stop facility at 3:15 a.m. with their faces “partially covered,” a Walton County Sheriff’s Office news release said.
“One of the suspects brandished a 22 magnum handgun and demanded money,” it said.
Fleeing with approximately $2,500 the perpetrators turned south on State Road 285 and attempted to make their getaway on nearby Interstate 10.
But a Walton deputy working an extra job at an RV park across the street from the industrial park had a different idea. He pulled over the 2008 Mazda identified as the suspect’s vehicle on the westbound entrance ramp.
Two of the three suspects were taken into custody. Suspect number three was apprehended a few hours later in Mossy Head near the intersection of U.S. 90 and Emma Lane, the report said.
Walton Correctional Institute staff and the Florida Highway Patrol helped locate the third suspect.
All three were from out of state. They were identified in the release as Kelly Eugene Stewart, 18, of Slidel, La. Trevor Bernard Smalls, 19, of Mobile, Al. and Christopher Wayne Smith, 20, of Slidel, La.
They were charged with armed robbery and Smith was additionally charged with aggravated assault, the release said.
Walton County Lt. Adam Falk said in an email that the assault charge stemmed from Smith’s waving a gun in the manager’s face and making threats.
Love’s Travel Stop spokeswoman Kealy Dorian said incidents like Tuesday’s are investigated “on a case by case basis.”
She said while existing security measures could be considered at Mossy Head, “I’m confident we’re doing everything we can to maintain adequate security for our facility and employees.”
--------
Adequate security?
$2,500 is allot of money to have laying around at 3:15 in the morning.