On Sunday, March 13, Iredell County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Sunshine Express West on Old Mountain Road Statesville in reference to an armed robbery that had occurred.
A black male wearing a surgical mask had entered the store and retrieved a beer from the cooler. The suspect then walked around inside the store, he then walked behind the counter and demanded money from the safe. The suspect kept his hand in his jacket, and the clerk saw what looked like the handle of a pistol. The clerk told the suspect several times the store did not have a safe. The suspect then assaulted the clerk and then ran out of the business
Criminal Investigators responded to the location and were able to retrieve pictures of the suspect from the store surveillance video. The suspect pictures were shared on the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page and App.
Darren Eugene Parker
It was determined that Parker was in Charlotte. The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Squad responded to Charlotte to arrest Parker. He was also located in the same purple Scion wearing the exact same clothing he was wearing when he committed the robbery in Iredell County. Information was also gathered which assisted the Statesville Police Department to solve a robbery that also occurred in their jurisdiction.
Parker was issued a 250,000.00 dollar secured bond. Parker was also served with an Order for Arrest out of Rowan County. He received an additional 2,000.00 dollar secured bond.
Photo: Iredell County Sheriff’s Office