Man accused of robbing woman at gunpoint in Iowa after big casino win
07/22/2022 1:55 pm PDT
DES MOINES, Iowa (TCD) -- A 30-year-old man was arrested after allegedly running a woman off the road and robbing her of her casino winnings at gunpoint.
According to WHO-TV, on Tuesday, July 19, at around 3:15 a.m., the victim was forced off the road by two vehicles in the 3400 block of Easton Boulevard. The woman had just won $18,000 at the Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack and Hotel, and Timothy Spencer reportedly witnessed her winning, KCCI-TV reports. Police told KCCI Spencer and an accomplice robbed the victim at gunpoint.
Spencer allegedly followed the woman as he was driving in one of the cars that forced her off the road. He reportedly struck the driver-side window of the victim's car, which ended up shattering it. According to WHO, Spencer allegedly opened the victim's car door and grabbed her purse, which held her casino winnings.
The second suspect who was driving the other car allegedly pounded on the passenger side window of the victim's car.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by WHO, surveillance video from the casino showed that Spencer watched "the victim and exited the casino around 3 a.m., which was around the same time the victim exited."
Authorities executed search warrants and found $1,000 in cash and a bottle of oxycodone he did not have a prescription for in Spencer's car, WHO reports. Authorities also reportedly found $2,000 in cash and a silver .38 Special revolver in his home.
According to WHO, during his interview, Spencer denied the robbery allegations and said the money was from a jackpot he had won.
Spencer was arrested and booked into Polk County on Thursday, July 21, and charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, possession of a controlled substance, going armed with intent, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, and failure to affix drug stamp, records show. Spencer was later released on July 21 and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 1.
The second suspect in the robbery has reportedly not been arrested yet.
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