Henderson Police Arrest Three Virginia Men For Bank Robbery

Arrested were 30-year-old Jason Marcellis Williams of Virginia Beach, Va., 30-year-old Willie Lee Artist of Norfolk, Va., and 31-year-old Anthony Lee Green of Virginia Beach. Each has been charged with bank robbery and is being confined in the Vance County Jail in lieu of $250,000 secured bond.

Williams also was charged with resisting a police officer. He received treatment at Maria Parham Hospital for a minor injury.

The other two suspects surrendered without resistance after a van they were riding in was stopped.

The arrests were the result of a cooperative effort by members of the Patrol and Detective Divisions of the Henderson Police Department, in concert with several deputies of the Vance County Sheriff's Department.

Police said they were dispatched to the Bank of America at 1405 North Garnett Street shortly after 10:30 a.m. to investigate a robbery.

Bank employees reported that one African-American male suspect had entered the bank and robbed them of an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency. The suspect had presented a note to a teller announcing the robbery.

There were several bank employees and customers inside the bank at the time of the robbery. No one was injured at the bank.

The suspect left through the northside door and ran behind a department store onto Ranes Drive, where he was seen getting into a waiting burgundy van displaying out-of-state temporary tags.

Several police and sheriff's department vehicles responded to the area, and a witness pointed out the suspect vehicle to sheriff's deputy T. Greenway, who attempted to halt the vehicle on N. Garnett Street.

The van sped away, and several police and deputy vehicles joined in a brief chase that ended nearby on Toepleman Street when the van drove behind a house. The driver fled into the woods, and two occupants were detained at the vehicle.

Officer S. R. Spence chased the fleeing suspect into the woods and captured him.

The stolen cash was recovered during the arrests.