Prosecutors: Suspect arrested after robbery, pursuit, manhunt was wanted for attempted homicide

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Charges have been filed against two men arrested after an armed robbery in Mount Pleasant, a subsequent pursuit and a manhunt that ended Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 26.

The armed robbery happened late on Sept. 25, at Wilkomm's Mobil on Washington Avenue near Warwick Way. They're accused of taking money and employees' personal belongings before fleeing in a vehicle stolen out of Illinois.

Willkomm's Mobil

Dezerric Pitts

A criminal complaint says employees at the gas station were found hiding behind coolers in the store. One said a red truck pulled up in front of the main door and two males exited. Pitts then approached, wearing a white surgical mask, and a jacket with the word "player" on the back of it. The complaint says Pitts pulled himself onto the counter, knocked over a display case and pointed a handgun at an employee, shouting "give me all your money -- open the safe!" The employee gave Pitts all the money in the register and then stole an employee's cellphone.

Meanwhile, Lark, who was also wearing a white surgical mask, walked around to the back side of another employee's register as she hid her phone from him.

They left the store with $275 from the register and the first employee's phone, valued at $306.

Investigators obtained surveillance video which corroborated the employees' accounts of the crime.

George Lark

The suspect vehicle was located, and the complaint says an officer attempted a traffic stop. At this point, the vehicle, reported stolen out of Illinois, fled, reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles-per-hour. Stop sticks were deployed by Kenosha County sheriff's officials, but the truck continued on rims, eventually coming to a stop in Kenosha County near Wilmot Road. Officials learned the two suspects had fled the vehicle while it was still in motion.

Amid a manhunt, the first suspect was captured Wednesday morning; the second Wednesday afternoon. Both were brought in for questioning. Sheriff's officials said Pitts was arrested while riding a bicycle on I-94. Lark was arrested when he asked to use the phone at AAA Tent Masters, near where the vehicle crashed, ending the pursuit.

The complaint says when they saw each other before they entered the interview rooms, Pitts told Lark "love blood, get a lawyer."

Pitts ended up suffering a gunshot wound to his leg when he tried to enter a home while on the run -- when a resident fired at him. The complaint says he was wanted out of Kankakee County, Illinois for attempted homicide and armed robbery.

The complaint says Lark admitted to being involved in the armed robbery -- telling investigators "cameras won't lie." He said he and Pitts had dropped a fried of fin Racine near the gas station, and then went to the gas station. He said he had hidden the gun after fleeing from the crashed truck. Officers recovered a .44 revolver from the passenger side of the truck.