Cary restaurant-robbery suspect caught on I-40

Several people robbed the Crazy Fire Grill, 1270 Buck Jones Road in Cary, shortly before 11 p.m., Cary Police Sgt. A. Gazaway said. Police asked law enforcement to look out for a SUV used in the robbery.

Shortly after, state troopers spotted the SUV and stopped it on I-40 West at the Durham Freeway. Troopers shut down that side of the highway for about 30 minutes because they believed a gun was in the vehicle, Gazaway said.

Troopers apprehended two men and a woman without incident and transferred them to the custody of Cary police. Authorities recovered a gun from the SUV.

No shots were fired during the incident, and no one was injured.

After questioning the people, detectives arrested and charged 38-year-old Ronald Elbert Perry. He was placed in the Wake County Jail and was being held Sunday under a $2 million bond.

In addition to the armed robbery charge, Perry will also face a failure to appear charge for an earlier offense, jail officials said.

Police released the other man and woman without charging them. Gazaway said that detectives did not expect to file more charges in the case.

From 1988 to 2004, Perry was found guilty in Franklin County of offenses including breaking and entering, first-degree rape of a child, trespassing, driving while under the influence, assault on a government employee/official, injury to personal property and resisting arrest, according to arrest warrants.

On Sunday, Crazy Fire Grill general manager Monica Grimm, who was working when the robbery occurred, was back at work. She said she wanted to put the incident behind her.