Robbery charges filed after what police report as a heavily armed shoplifting
By Stephen Floyd, Ashland.news
A local transient is facing robbery and numerous other charges after allegedly threatening to kill a grocery store employee while shoplifting more than $1,000 in merchandise, then threatening police with a machete.
Jacques Norman Gerardy, 58, of Ashland, was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 13, by the Ashland Police Department after officers responded to the Albertsons on Ashland Street around 10:38 p.m. to reports of a female employee receiving threats from a customer.
The employee said Gerardy allegedly approached the cigarette counter and asked for a carton of cigarettes, but when told he had to pay for them at the register first he allegedly grabbed the employee by the arm, threatened to chop her head off, grabbed the cigarettes and left the store with a shopping cart full of more than $1,000 in unpaid merchandise.
Police located Gerardy across the street in the parking lot of the Ashland Family YMCA and claim he began throwing beverage containers at a patrol vehicle, striking the windshield. Gerardy then allegedly produced a machete from a sheath on his hip and approached Officer Mike Vanderlip, who drew his pistol and commanded Gerardy to drop the weapon.
Sgt. Scott Wenzel arrived to back up Vanderlip and Gerardy reportedly approached Wenzel, still holding the machete. Both Vanderlip and Wenzel deployed their Tasers, but Gerardy appeared unaffected, then Vandaser deployed a second Taser round and Gerardy was subdued and disarmed.
Additional weapons were allegedly found on Gerardy’s person, including what police described as a bayonet and two large “Rambo” style knives. Albertsons calculated the value of the stolen merchandise at $1,047.
Gerardy appeared in court Wednesday, Dec. 14, on charges of first-degree theft, resisting arrest, and two counts each of second-degree robbery, attempted first-degree assault, attempted second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon. He was held in lieu of $500,000 bail and, if convicted, faces at least 70 months in prison.
Email Ashland.news reporter Stephen Floyd at sfloydmedia@gmail.com.
