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2 MEN ARRESTED IN ROBBERY OUTSIDE BLAKE ST. CONVENIENCE STORE

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Friday, September 19, 2008 10:27 AM CDT

A Little Rock couple buying gas in Pine Bluff early Thursday morning was robbed at gunpoint and two Pine Bluff men were arrested after a high speed chase.

Lt. Bob Rawlinson said Kevin Brazell, 30, of 2717 W. 13th Ave., and Raphael Compton, 22, of 1313 S. Gum St., were taken to the county detention center where they were held on multiple charges, including aggravated robbery, theft of property, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, criminal use of a prohibited weapon, possession of drugs, and fleeing, pending an expected court appearance today.

The robbery was reported on the parking lot of Valero at 101 N. Blake St., at approximately 2:15 a.m. Thursday, when Deon Hollomand, 42, and Tiffany Tillman, 27, both of Little Rock, were buying gas.

When Officer Brent Bridges pulled into the parking lot, Tillman yelled that the suspects left in a red Jeep headed east on the Martha Mitchell Expressway.

Bridges said he caught up to the Jeep at University Drive, where Jefferson County Sheriff’s Cpl. Andy Hoots was waiting after hearing the radio traffic.

Hoots and Bridges reported they turned on their blue lights, and the Jeep turned north on University Drive, then west on Pullen Street, failing to stop at stop signs.

Bridges reported the Jeep slowed down on Havis Street and the men jumped out of the moving vehicle and ran.

Bridges said he found Brazell hiding against a storage shed in the back yard at 1901 Bell St. Bridges said he attempted to grab Brazell who resisted, and he used his Tazer to subdue him.

Officer Brent Lawing, who was assisting Bridges, reported finding a small plastic bag containing crack cocaine within arm’s reach of Brazell.

Hoots reported chasing Compton before getting close enough to use his Tazer several times when Compton refused to submit to arrest.

Bridges said when he went back to the Jeep, he found a sawed-off shotgun in the rear floor board and when Brazell was searched, found $182 in his pockets.

Compton had $27, the amount reportedly taken in the robbery, in his right front pocket, along with a Wal-Mart gift card.

The robbery was the second at Valero in less than 24 hours. On Wednesday at about 5 p.m., an unknown black male armed with a small caliber, semi-automatic handgun took cash from a clerk before running from the store.

Anyone with information about the earlier robbery is urged to contact the Detective Division at 543-5111 or the Crime Hotline at 543-5110. All calls will be kept confidential.

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