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WORCESTER, Mass. — A Holden man has been charged with armed robbery and assault with intent to murder after he allegedly robbed a Honey Farms Market in Worcester early Saturday and led police on a high-speed chase.
Jaime Lopez-Rodriguez, 24, of 2 West Farhill Drive, Holden, was charged with assault with intent to murder, armed robbery, resisting arrest, marked lanes violations, speeding, operating a motor vehicle without a license, operating a motor vehicle so as to endanger, failure to stop for police, possession of a Class E substance, red light violation, stop sign violation, operating a motor vehicle in the wrong direction on a one-way street and motor vehicle equipment violation.
Worcester Police were called to the Honey Farms Market at 872 West Boylston St. for a report of an armed robbery at 4 a.m. The store clerk told police a man had entered the store and pointed what he believed to be a handgun at him and demanded cash. As he was placing the money in a plastic bag, the suspect took numerous lottery tickets.
Video security footage showed a man wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt over a red shirt, holding a makeshift weapon that appeared to be a firearm, police said. The man was seen heading toward Burcoat Street.
As the officers were responding to the crime scene, a vehicle was spotted traveling on Burncoat Street away from the store. Several responding police officers became suspicious of the speeding vehicle and began to follow it, activating emergency lights in an attempt to stop it. The suspect refused to stop and continued on for several minutes, at one point allegedly steering his vehicle directly at a Worcester Police officer as the officer was exiting his vehicle.
The vehicle was finally stopped at 68 Millbrook St. The driver, Lopez-Rodriguez, allegedly refused numerous requests to exit the vehicle and was physically removed from the car and placed under arrest.
A search of vehicle produced evidence which allegedly tied Lopez-Rodriguez to the Honey Farms robbery. In addition, officers said they discovered numerous pills, a Class E substance known as Serequel, on the floor of the vehicle.
A passenger in the vehicle, Rosa Polanco, 45, of 11 Bourne St., Worcester, was placed under arrest and charged with armed robbery (joint venture) and possession of a Class E substance.
The two suspects were arraigned Monday at the Worcester County District Courthouse.
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