Crime & Safety
Bail Set at $1 Million for Two Robbery Suspects Who Shut Down I-270
Bail has been set at $1 million for two of three suspected bank robbers chased by police onto I-270, prompting its closure. A third suspect's mental competency is being evaluated.
Two men suspected of robbing a Wells Fargo bank who led police on a chase that closed Interstate 270 had their bail set at $1 million Wednesday, while a third suspect is being held without bail while his mental competency is evaluated.
Earl M. Kenney, 55, of Capitol Heights, and Michael A. Heard, 40, of Washington, D.C., appeared before a Montgomery County District Court judge, reports Gazette.Net. Their bail was set at $1 million each.
A third suspect, Ricko D. Ford, 20, of Capital Heights, had his bail changed from $300,000 to “no bail” pending the results of a mental competency hearing, over concern that he may have a disability, the website reports.
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Ford’s father pleaded with the judge for leniency Wednesday, saying that his son is mentally disabled.
Police received a call at about 10:02 a.m. about the robbery, and 1st District officers and Rockville City Police officers responded to the bank located, according to a release from the Montgomery County Police Department.
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Two of the suspects are accused of entering the bank at 404 King Farm Boulevard in Rockville armed with handguns. The suspects demanded money, took the cash then fled in a silver Kia SUV, in which a third suspect was sitting, police said.
With help from Prince George’s County Police Department’s Air 1 helicopter, officers located the vehicle traveling on southbound Interstate 270. With the assistance of Maryland State Police, southbound 270 was shut down in order to stop the suspect vehicle, police said. The SUV was located and stopped just south of Tuckerman Lane, and the suspects were taken into custody.
Northbound lanes were also closed for a brief time.
Police said they recovered a handgun used in the robbery. The stolen money was recovered from a dump truck that had been traveling adjacent to the suspect vehicle. Investigators determined that the suspects had attempted to throw the money into the dump truck once they realized that the police had located their vehicle, according to a news release.
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