NICE, Calif. – A rapid response by sheriff’s deputies to an attempted robbery of the Lucerne Pharmacy on Wednesday afternoon has led to the arrest of a 41-year-old Nice man.
Jesus Torres-Fernandez, 41, of Nice was arrested and booked on charges of felony attempted robbery, first degree burglary, false imprisonment and making criminal threats, and misdemeanor battery and unlawful possession of a hypodermic syringe, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On Wednesday, March 30, at approximately 3:30 p.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported robbery in progress at the Lucerne Pharmacy on Highway 20, Bauman said.
A 911 call to sheriff’s dispatch reported that a man was terrorizing employees and customers by demanding that they “get down on the floor and that they would be shot if he didn’t get some medication,” according to Bauman's report.
As deputies were responding, Bauman said they were updated that the suspect had ransacked medication cabinets and tried to force his way into a secured area where employees were hiding before eventually fleeing from the business on foot.
Deputies assigned to the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail were working the Lucerne area at the time the robbery was being reported. Bauman said the first deputy arrived at the scene within two minutes of the call and he immediately located a man matching the suspect description sitting in a vehicle next to the pharmacy.
The suspect, later identified as Torres-Fernandez, was detained without incident, Bauman said.
Bauman said the investigation into the incident revealed that Torres-Fernandez had come to the pharmacy to have a prescription for methadone filled. While waiting for his medication, he suddenly became agitated, pushing customers out of his way and yelling at employees to get his medication.
Torres-Fernandez then stuck his hand in the pocket of his sweatshirt, simulated having a gun, and ordered everyone to get down on the floor or he would shoot them, Bauman said.
Convinced that Torres-Fernandez had a gun, customers ran out of the pharmacy and the employees fled into a secured pharmaceutical area of the business, according to Bauman.
Bauman said Torres-Fernandez jumped over a counter and tried to get into the secured area through a window and a side door. After failing to get in, he started throwing items of merchandise at the window while yelling at employees to give him drugs. He eventually gave up and ran out of the business.
Torres-Fernandez was arrested and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility. Bauman said a hypodermic syringe was found in his pants pocket during a prebooking search.
Torres-Fernandez remained in custody at the Lake County Correctional facility Thursday night in lieu of $25,000 bail, according to jail records.
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