Final suspect in Burger King robbery nabbed

Toryast Jermaine Johnson

The final suspect in the York Street Burger King robbery Saturday has been arrested.

Toryast Jermaine Johnson, 28, of Columbia, was arrested in Richland County by deputies there and State Law Enforcement Division agents, according to a news release from Lt. David Turno of the Aiken Public Safety Department.

He will be charged with one count of Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime, one count of Robbery while Armed with a Deadly Weapon, 18 counts of Kidnapping, and one count of Carjacking, Turno said.

Two other suspects are being held.

Authorities said Monday the men may have been in the middle of a crime spree across the Midlands that ended at the Burger King on Saturday.

Robert Mills Jr., 27, of Columbia, and Sean Mark Rodriguez, 25, of Columbia, have each been charged with 16 counts of kidnapping, as well as armed robbery and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Mills' bond was set at $515,000. Rodriguez's bond was set at $855,000.

A third man who reportedly took part in the holdup, Richard Simmons, 24, took his own life after he was cornered by police, the Aiken County coroner reported.

Simmons was found hiding in a heavily wooded area near Toy Car Wash, around the corner from the Burger King. He was ordered to surrender and then pulled out a .38 caliber revolver, put it to his head and pulled the trigger, officials said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they recovered weapons and clothing and have inventoried the car that had been carjacked in Columbia in early October.

The holdups are very similar, said Lt. David Turno, a spokesperson for Aiken Public Safety.

In all three cases, a group of men ordered those in the restaurant into the walk-in refrigerator during the armed robbery.

In Sumter and Winnsboro, only three men entered the restaurant.

"The fourth man may have been in the car waiting," Turno said. "It's under investigation."

During Saturday's holdup, four men entered the Burger King about 12:40 p.m. They parked a stolen car in the parking lot and then walked in.

Once inside, they forced customers and employees into a walk-in commercial refrigerator and ordered the manager to hand over the money, police said.

What the men likely didn't know was that a handful of employees had already escaped out the back door and ran over to a nearby gas station where they asked a clerk to call for help.

Aiken Public Safety arrived within moments of the emergency call, police said.

Several officers surrounded the restaurant.

Police said they could see the men inside. The gunman spotted the officers then took off running.

The officers quickly detained Mills.

Rodriguez was detained after a Crosland Park resident spotted a man run into an abandoned home. The resident stopped a detective patrolling in the area, and police forced Rodriguez to surrender.

The fourth suspect reportedly carjacked a man while he was cleaning his car at the nearby car wash. The gunman ordered the man to take him to Hampton Avenue and then took off running once the driver arrived at the location. The victim was not physically injured.

Police said they believe the men may have been familiar with the area but cannot say whether they staked out the area ahead of time or not.

All three gunmen identified have criminal histories.

Rodriguez has been in and out of prison a number of times. He has been charged with numerous armed robberies and burglaries in Columbia.

Simmons had also been in prison. He was charged with multiple counts of assault and battery with intent to kill.

Mills has only one previous arrest. He was charged with criminal domestic violence in 2002.

Police have made a victim advocate available to those in the Burger King during the holdup Saturday.