On January 23rd around 10:15 p.m., officers observed a tan Chevy Impala fail to come to a complete stop before exiting the parking lot at 685 N. Lacrosse St. The vehicle turned west onto E. Monroe Street. A traffic stop was made on the Impala in the area of Milwaukee Street and E. Watertown Street. Police Identified the driver as 23-year-old Tristan Hall of Rapid City. Another occupant of the vehicle initially refused to identify himself. Police learned that Hall had a warrant for her arrest, and all occupants of the vehicle were asked to step out while a consent search of the vehicle was conducted. Officers located an empty holster for a hand gun in the vehicle. With this being the case, officers asked to pat search the occupants. At one point during the investigation, the unidentified male occupant pulled away from officers in an attempt to run. The male was taken to the ground and continued to struggle with police was they worked to detain him. He kicked two officers during the struggle, but police were able to get him into handcuffs. A loaded handgun was located inside the male’s coat pocket. Police were able to identify the male as 20-year-old Johnathan Adkins of Rapid City. Adkins matched the description of the suspect in the January 22nd robberies of 1550 N. Lacrosse Street and 3010 West Main Street. He was placed under arrest for Obstruction, two counts of Simple Assault on Law Enforcement, Commission of a Felony with a Firearm, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and two Warrants. A further search of the vehicle would turn up baggies containing a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and associated paraphernalia. Hall was placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Ingestion of a Controlled Substance, Ingestion of a Substance to Intoxicate, Failure to Stop from a Private Road and a Warrant.
After being taken into custody, Adkins agreed to speak to detectives about the January 22nd robberies. Police determined that Adkins was the suspect responsible for the robbery at 1550 N. Lacrosse Street, and also one of the suspects involved in the robbery at 3010 West Main Street. Additionally Adkins was determined to be the suspect responsible for stealing cash from the casino at 1415 N. Lacrosse Street on January 18th. Adkins was placed under arrest for two counts of First Degree Robbery, and Petty Theft.
Police also learned that the second suspect involved in both robberies was 27-year-old Troy Fairbanks of Rapid City. On January 25th, police had received a tip that Fairbanks was staying at 620 Latrobe Avenue. Fairbanks was located at this address and was taken into custody without further incident.
Fairbanks was placed under arrest for Aiding and Abetting First Degree Robbery (1550 N. Lacrosse Street), and First Degree Robbery (3010 W. Main Street) before being transported to the Pennington County Jail.
