Second suspect charged in White#8217;s Cross robbery

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, February 7, 2007

WINDSOR – A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the Jan. 3 armed robbery of White’s Cross Grocery on Wakelon Road near Colerain.

Bertie County Sheriff’s officials said Don Dahweed Allen Johnson of 954 US 13/17 South, Windsor was arrested Jan. 25. He was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault by pointing a gun.

Johnson was placed in the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail under a $75,000 secured bond.

The first break in the case came on Jan. 5 when Katina Yvonne Watford, 27, of Colerain was arrested by Bertie Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Ed Pittman. While Pittman said Watford was not inside the store at the time of the robbery, she was charged with aiding and abetting an armed robbery.

Pittman said the third suspect remains at-large. He urged anyone with information on the robbery to contact the Bertie Sheriff’s Office at 794-5330.

On the evening of the robbery, two black males entered the store at approximately 7 p.m. Both were wearing dark clothing, hooded jackets and masks.

One of the suspects was carrying a long-barreled weapon while the other was seen with a handgun.

There were customers in the store at the time of the incident. No shots were fired and the cashier and the customers cooperated with the requests made by the two suspects.

“No one was injured and that’s the best possible news that comes out of an armed robbery,” Bertie Sheriff Greg Atkins said.

Atkins said the suspects demanded money from the cashier. They left the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.