March 04, 2005|By Jessica Bylander | Jessica Bylander,Special to baltimoresun.com
Howard County police today arrested a 33-year-old Columbia man and charged him with two armed robberies in the past 24 hours in the Wilde Lake community, authorities said.
Police connected Kenneth Ellsworth Lee with the armed robberies of a gas station in the 10400 block of Twin Rivers Road on Thursday night and the robbery of a 50-year-old teacher from Wilde Lake Middle School this morning. The crimes, taking place within 10 hours of each other, occurred within a block of Lee's residence, authorities said.
Shortly after the second robbery, Lee was found in the 5900 block of Turnabout Lane, in a community near the crime scene, police said. According to Pfc. David Proulx, a patrol officer saw Lee about 10 a.m., and when the officer asked for his name, Lee told him he knew why he was being stopped. He was then taken into custody, Proulx said.
The money from the second robbery was recovered from Lee after he was arrested, police said.
In the first incident, officers responded to a call from the Crown gas station about 10 p.m. Thursday. Lee allegedly entered the store, displayed a handgun and demanded the clerk open the register. After the clerk handed Lee an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled the store on foot, heading in an unknown direction, according to police.
Then this morning, officers responded to a call from Wilde Lake Middle School in the 10400 block of Cross Fox Lane about 7 a.m., after Lee allegedly confronted a teacher and demanded money, telling her he had a gun. Authorities said the suspect again fled the area on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.
No students were at the school at the time of the robbery, and no injuries were reported in connection with either robbery.
Lee has been charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of theft.
Both crimes remain under investigation, Howard County police said.
March 4, 2005, 3:52 PM EST
