Santa Rosa police arrest suspect in armed robbery at gas station

SANTA ROSA, CA — Authorities have apprehended a suspect in connection with a brazen early morning armed robbery at a Santa Rosa gas station, recovering a loaded, unserialized firearm in the process.

The Santa Rosa Police Department received an emergency call on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, reporting a robbery in progress at a gas station located in the 200 block of Dutton Avenue. According to police reports, a masked man entered the establishment, approached the counter, and displayed a handgun wrapped in a bandana to the cashier. The suspect demanded money, and the clerk, fearing for their safety, complied by handing over cash from the register.

Following the robbery, the suspect fled the scene on a bicycle, heading towards the Joe Rodota Trail. Police officers responded rapidly and secured a perimeter in the vicinity. During the search, officers discovered the suspect's bicycle, discarded clothing, mask, the stolen cash, and the firearm hidden under a bridge along the Prince Memorial Greenway.

The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez of Santa Rosa, was located by officers near the intersection of Wilson Avenue and 5th Street. The recovered weapon was found to be a loaded 9mm ghost gun with an extended magazine carrying 27 rounds. Lopez was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on multiple charges, including armed robbery and carrying a loaded firearm as a convicted felon.