Man arrested in gas station robbery

A man faces charges after he was trapped in a gas station while robbing $81.

Ja Quon Da Vohn Smith was charged Dec. 28 with attempted armed robbery, armed robbery, criminal confinement, and attempted battery. His address is not listed in court filings. He is in custody, held on a $7,000 cash bail.

Gary Police Detective William Fazekas wrote officers responded at 10:24 p.m. Dec. 26 to the Go Lo Gas Station, 5285 Broadway Ave.

Merrillville officers were already there. Smith was arrested inside kneeling on the floor with his hands on his head. A back door was open. A couple of bullet casings were on the floor.

Investigators learned the clerk was locking up and walking to his car when a masked Smith ran to him and forced him to reopen the store at gunpoint. Smith threatened to kill him.

“Give me your bag,” he said. “You got the store keys, let’s go in the store.”

Inside, they went past the lobby to the cash register behind bulletproof glass.

Smith gave the clerk’s backpack to him, telling him to hold it, so Smith could stuff it with cash. When Smith went back to the lobby, the clerk locked the area behind the counter, which also locked the front door and trapped him there.

When Smith realized what happened, he shot at the clerk four or five times, hitting the bulletproof glass, according to the affidavit. He also shot at the front door at least twice and tried to kick it out.

The clerk ran out the back door. Smith tossed the gun behind a cooler and waited for the cops.

Smith later told police he needed $200 to repay “Ron.” His father gave him the tan handgun recovered, he said.

mcolias@post-trib.com