When robberies go bad.

Robbery Suspect Runs into Resistance at Denton Pizza Place

Last Edited: Saturday, 12 Jul 2008, 6:51 PM CDT
Created: Saturday, 12 Jul 2008, 2:39 PM CDT

DENTON, Texas -- Denton police said a man attempted to rob a pizza restaurant Friday night, but one of the store's employees fought back and then three citizens stepped in to make sure the suspect and his accomplices went to jail.

Police said Benjamin Ramirez, 41, walked into the Pizza Patron in the 100 block of E. University Drive around 10:30 p.m.

Ramirez was wearing a wig and dark sunglasses and was carrying what appeared to be a silver handgun, police said.

Speaking in Spanish, Ramirez told the clerk "give me the money" and then slapped the worker in the face, according to investigators.

The clerk, 17-year-old Rudy Sandoval, said he was going to give the suspect the money but decided to fight back when he got slapped.

"I ran up on him right here," Sandoval said as he described the fight. "I just stuck him two or three good times right here. He just dropped right there and started snoring."

Ramirez was passed out for several minutes but regained consciousness and was able to get up and run from the restaurant.

That's when someone passing by outside realized something was wrong and started chasing the suspect on foot.

Ramirez got into a black pickup truck where his two alleged accomplices were waiting, but the passerby didn't give up.

He convinced the occupants of a nearby vehicle to follow the suspects. They were able to give police a location and officers were quickly on the scene.

Police arrested Ramirez, Jose Martinez, 26, and Sonia Palacios, 38.

Ramirez' weapon turned out to be a toy.

The suspects are charged with aggravated robbery and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said they don't recommend doing what Sandoval did especially when you believe a suspect is armed but they are grateful to the citizens who helped.

"Four different citizens helped out in this situation," said Officer Jim Bryan, Denton Police Department. "We were able to get him into custody in about fifteen minutes."

Now, the rest of the story.

Father robs pizza restaurant where daughter works

© 2008 The Associated (with Terrorists) Press

DENTON, Texas — Police here say they will not file charges against a clerk whose parents and husband were charged with robbing the pizza restaurant where she worked, officials said.

Police said the clerk, Stephanie Martinez, didn't know they planned to rob the Pizza Patron Friday night.

While the robbery was in progress, Martinez discovered her father was the robber when another clerk struck him, knocking him out and knocking off his wig and sunglasses. He was later apprehended after witnesses followed the getaway pickup.

"Her husband told us she didn't know. He knew they were going to rob someplace but he thought it was going to be a convenience store," police Sgt. James Brett said in a story in Monday's online editions of the Denton Record-Chronicle.

A surveillance video corroborated Martinez's story. A police report shows the trio was in custody within 14 minutes of the robbery.

Jose Miguel Martinez, 26, was charged with aggravated robbery and is free on $50,000 bail. Benjamin Ramirez, 41, and Sonia Palacios, 38, are both charged with aggravated robbery. Bail was set at $50,000 each, but they are being held without bail on immigration violations.