For the second time in less than a year, a Lawrence man is scheduled to be tried on robbery charges.
Duwone Flowers, 30, will be tried on a yet-undecided date for the Sept. 24, 2000, robbery of Total Petroleum Inc., 1010 N. Third St.
Douglas County District Judge Robert Fairchild ruled Thursday there was enough evidence to try Flowers on one count of aggravated robbery. The charge was filed in November.
Flowers already is serving a 4 1/2-year prison term after being convicted last summer for the Dec. 9, 2000, attempted robbery of Wendy's, 523 W. 23rd St.
During Thursday's hearing, Brooke Bowker testified she saw a man she recognized as Duwone Flowers running south about a block away from the Total convenience store shortly after the robbery.
Bowker said she was talking on a pay phone outside a Citgo convenience store south of Total when she saw Flowers. Bowker said she recognized Flowers because they worked together in 1995 at a Lawrence business.
Keith Jones said he was working behind the counter at the Total store when a man armed with a pistol came in and demanded money. The robbery occurred about 11 p.m., he said.
After taking about $80 from the cash register, the robber ordered Jones to lie on the floor, he testified. The robber then left, Jones said.
Jones said it was difficult to see much of the robber's face but that he could see the robber was black. The robber was wearing dark gloves, a construction worker's hard hat and boots, Jones said.
Lawrence Police Officer Laurie Scott testified she found a hard hat on the ground along North Second Street about halfway between the two convenience stores. Officer Kenneth Farrar said he found a black glove in the area of North and North Third streets.
Officer Matt McNemee said he stopped a van driven by Flowers during the early-morning hours of Sept. 25, 2000, at Ninth and Iowa streets. McNemee said he found a black glove in the back of the van.
No charges were filed in the robbery at the time.
Flowers was scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 17, and Fairchild will set a trial date.
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.