Robbery suspect has day in court
Victim of robbery recalls struggle in store parking lot
Paul Shipp was heading for the East Iron Dillons parking lot June 3 with groceries in a shopping cart and $15 in cash in his hand when he was attacked.
"He grabbed my right hand and said, 'I'll take that,' and I sez, 'The hell you will.' " Shipp said.
The 95-year-old retired bread truck driver, who made deliveries to that store for 33 years, recounted the attack Tuesday at the preliminary hearing of Greyson T. Hurley, 22, 442 S. 12th. Hurley is charged with aggravated robbery and faces 55 to 247 months in prison, said County Attorney Ellen Mitchell.
While on the witness stand in County District Court, Shipp told Mitchell he didn't recall seeing who attacked him and stole his money.
"He threw me down. I hit the ground hard," Shipp said. "He took off."
The fall to the pavement scraped his hands and bruised his side. The struggle lasted two minutes, maybe more, Shipp told defense attorney Paul Hickman.
Witness Debra A. Johnson said she was inside the store getting cash and saw the attack through the window.
"It looked like he pushed him," Johnson said. "I seen him leave the area. He kept waving at somebody. I looked and seen a vehicle backing out. He threw something in the back of the vehicle."
The attacker fled down an alley along the north side of the Dillons store at 511 E. Iron, Mitchell said.
Witnesses provided police with a vehicle description and a tag number, which led them to Hurley. He was arrested that day.
Criminal investigator Scott Hogeland said Hurley mentioned the amount of money taken from Shipp and added a derogatory statement:
"You think I'm happy a stupid-assed ol' man fell on the ground, that I'm sorry? I'm not. That's not my (expletive) problem."
Hogeland also said Hurley admitted to taking the money out of Shipp's hand, hopping in the car and taking off.
Judge Dan Boyer bound Hurley over for a jury trial, set for 9 a.m. Aug. 15.
Boyer rejected attorney Hickman's attempt to lower Hurley's $100,000 bond.
"It's a serious charge," Boyer said.
Hopefully the victim will get justice and the perp will go away for a while.
