Trumbull grand jury to weigh charges in restaurant robbery

He faces eight years in prison if convicted.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — Robert E. Cherry, the 34-year-old Bazetta man arrested Jan. 28 inside the West Market Street Arby’s restaurant on charges of punching a female employee in the face and trying to steal money from the cash register, has waived a preliminary hearing and been bound over to a Trumbull County grand jury.

Judge Terry Ivanchak of Warren Municipal Court continued Cherry’s $75,000 bond Friday during the hearing.

Cherry, of Larry Lane, was charged with robbery, a felony punishable by up to eight years in prison if he’s convicted.

Police said Cherry walked into the restaurant at about 8 p.m., purchased a cup of water from a male employee and then asked a 30-year-old female employee for change.

While she had the register open, Cherry punched the woman in the face and took bills from the drawer, police said.

The woman closed the drawer on his hand, and a male co-worker jumped over the counter and put Cherry in a headlock, police said.

Another customer standing nearby also helped the employee, and they struggled with the man briefly on the floor.

That’s when a third customer who had been waiting in the drive-through lane came into the restaurant and stopped Cherry from struggling any further.

Thomas Stroud, a security guard, put his knee in Cherry’s back side and made sure Cherry stayed on the floor until police arrived, Stroud said last week in an interview.

The woman suffered a bloody mouth and bruising from the punch.