The recent robbery of an Apple Valley movie theater allegedly was committed by a former employee who used part of the loot to pay his rent before he ran away from police.
Davis Dupree Powell, 26, of Farmington, also tried to grab a police officer's gun before leading several law enforcement agencies on a foot chase, according to charges filed Friday in Dakota County District Court.
On Monday, Powell remained in the Dakota County Jail in lieu of $175,000 bail with conditions, or $250,000 without conditions. He's charged with first-degree robbery, obstructing the legal process with force, attempting to disarm a police officer and two counts of terroristic threats.
The robbery happened at a Carmike theater about 3 p.m. on Feb. 3, and according to the complaint, it unfolded this way:
One of the theater's managers was in a back stairwell of the theater when a masked man with a black handgun came from underneath the stairs. Though he wore two bandanas and a black ball cap, the manager recognized him as a former co-worker. The robber forced the manager into an office, where a second employee was working, and fled with about $3,600 in stolen loot.
The theater workers found Powell's employment file and gave it to police. Officers went to a Lakeville residence where Powell rented a room and began searching it.
Just before 8 p.m., Powell came home paid his landlord $400 in cash for rent. A police officer found the two in the garage, identified himself and ordered Powell to lay on his stomach. The officer knelt on Powell's back to handcuff him. Powell and the officer struggled, and Powell pushed his way up from the floor. The officer backed up and drew his gun, and Powell allegedly lunged for it. Then Powell got behind the landlord, so the officer holstered his gun and began walking toward Powell.
Powell ran away. Lakeville and Rosemount police, Dakota County sheriff's deputies and the Minnesota State Patrol joined in the search. Meanwhile, Powell knocked at one home but was not let in, and he was walking up to a second home's front door when he again fled from police near Pilot Knob Road.
