NORTH WEBSTER - Two men are in the Kosciusko County Jail this morning after allegedly robbing an American Legion employee of a bank deposit, possibly at gunpoint.

David Walter Hawthorne, 24, of 8264 N. Syracuse-Webster Road, Syracuse, and Ray James Skelton, 32, of 10 EMS D18 Lane, Syracuse, are each charged with armed robbery, a Class C felony. Both are being held without bond.

According to Detective Sgt. Tom Brindle of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, the first suspect was in custody 16 minutes after the 911 call came in at 9:57 p.m., and the second suspect was apprehended at 10:35 p.m.

Hawthorne was located at his home and arrested without incident. Police said they also recovered part of the stolen money at Hawthorne's residence. Hawthorne was out on bond after a December arrest for burglary and theft.

Skelton was picked up in Milford, where officers stopped a car described as used by one of the suspects. He also caused no problems when taken into custody.

Brindle said no weapon was recovered, but witnesses said they saw a gun in Hawthorne's back pocket as he climbed into his car after the alleged robbery. Police said they were able to identify Hawthorne as a suspect because the witnesses knew him personally and even spoke to him as he got into his car.

During the initial investigation, Brindle said, one of the suspects talked to police and implicated both in the robbery.

One of the suspects reportedly approached the victim, Russell Griffin, from behind and struck him in the head, knocking him to the ground. The other suspect then reportedly took the money from Griffin and both suspects fled the scene northbound on foot. Hawthorne's car was apparently parked nearby, at the Express Station north of the American Legion building.

Griffin was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw, where he was treated for abrasions to his head, and an incision from a recent surgery was checked. He was later released. [[In-content Ad]]