ST. CLAIR SHORES (WWJ) — A Detroit man could spend the rest of his life behind bars after allegedly robbing a woman in a St. Clair Shores Kroger parking lot last Friday and driving off in a stolen car with a person still inside.
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido on Monday charged 60-year-old Eddie Gaines with carjacking, unlawful imprisonment and unarmed robbery.
The charges stem from an incident on Feb. 21 at the Kroger on Harper near 9 Mile. Prosecutors say Gaines tried to rob a woman of her purse, but another customer stepped in and hit Gaines with her shopping bag.
Gaines ran off and got into the driver’s seat of a running vehicle in the parking lot and drove off with a man still inside, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Gaines allegedly demanded the man’s money and threatened to shoot him, but the victim was eventually able to take the keys out of the ignition and stab Gaines with a fork, officials said.
Gaines then fled to a nearby Walgreens, where he was arrested by St. Clair Shores police officers.
"The alleged actions of this individual were not only reckless, but a direct threat to public safety. I am grateful that law enforcement quickly apprehended the suspect,” Lucido said, per a press release. “I commend the St. Clair Shores Police Department for their professionalism and dedication to making our communities safer.”
Gaines was arraigned Monday and his bond was set at $250,000 cash/surety, no 10%. If he makes bond, he will be required to wear a GPS tether and have no contact with Kroger, any victims, or witnesses.
His next court date has been scheduled for March 4.
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