Man arrested in KFC robbery
A Washington man is behind bars in Willows tonight, just hours after he reportedly robbed the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Humboldt Street, making off with only about $100 in coins, police and witnesses reported.
Daniel Charcoal, 46, of Coopville, Wash., was booked into Glenn County Jail on suspicion of robbery, Willows police Chief Bill Spears said.
KFC Store owner and manager, Leticia Apodaca, said she was preparing to put money into the store safe around 3:10 p.m., when a man stepped out of the customer line, came around the counter, said he had a gun, grabbed the money bag and ran away.
“I was scared and grabbed after him, which I shouldn’t have done,” Apodaca said at the scene.
She said the whole incident occurred quickly and said she never actually saw any weapon.
Apodaca hurt her finger as she tried to grab the robber, but he twisted away, she said. Her left ring finger was still bleeding an hour after the incident.
“Nothing like this has ever happened before,” Apodaca said.
Charcoal reportedly fled in a green Subaru south on Interstate 5. He was stopped about 4 miles north of Williams by the California Highway Patrol and arrested after he was identified as the suspect by witnesses, police said.
The money was recovered inside the vehicle. No gun was located, Spears said.
Apodaca described the burglary as “terrifying” and said it was the fist robbery in the store’s nearly 30-year history. She and her husband, Hank Apodaca, have operated the KFC franchise in Willows since 1981.
Teresa Lopez of Williams was having a late lunch and “just passing through” when the chaos broke out, she said.
“I was scared for the employees because they all took off after the guy and that’s just dangerous,” Lopez said. “If he did have a gun, he really could’ve shot (the employee).”
