ORMOND BEACH -- A man identified as the robber who was foiled by a knife-wielding store clerk in January was arrested Monday on charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault, Volusia Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.
Additionally, Jonathan Powell faces armed robbery, grand theft and aggravated battery charges from an incident on March 2, when Powell is accused of beating a man on the head with a bottle while outside of a bar near Ormond Beach and taking his money. The 23-year-old was arrested Monday afternoon when he showed up for a court hearing in Daytona Beach concerning a simple battery complaint he had been arrested for earlier in the year.
Powell began racking up his criminal charges after he visited the Lil’ Champ Food Store, 2460 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach early in the morning Jan. 19, Haught said, adding he had his face covered with a cloth when he demanded money from the store clerk at knifepoint.
But Powell didn’t count on the 53-year-old clerk having a knife of his own, Haught said.
"Powell had jumped up on the counter to demand money a second time when the clerk swung his own knife at Powell, leaving a superficial wound on the robber’s chest," Haught said. Powell fled empty-handed. However, Powell had made the mistake of walking into the store a short time before he committed the robbery wearing the same clothes he would wear during the robbery, minus the face covering. Also, a nearby resident saw and recognized Powell enter the store to rob it and then flee. But the witness then left the area and didn’t tell investigators what he knew until the first week of March."
On March 2, Powell was at Hanky Panky’s bar, 1088 Ocean Shore Blvd., when he attacked a man in the parking lot at 3:15 a.m., Haught said.
The two had been talking for a few minutes when Powell used a bottle to strike the victim on the head, breaking the bottle, Haught said.
"The 44-year-old victim fell down and Powell used the broken bottle to stab him repeatedly in the face," the sheriff's spokesman said. "Powell then went through the victim’s pockets and took some money he found. The incident wasn’t reported until about an hour later when the victim was discovered bloody and confused with no memory of what happened to him a couple blocks away from the bar."
The victim was later transported by EVAC ambulance to Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial for treatment of his non life-threatening injuries. Investigators were able to trace the incident back to the bar where patrons identified Powell as the attacker.
Powell was arrested at approximately 1:45 p.m. Monday without incident and transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.