The Bakersfield Police Department announced Friday officers arrested several men in connection to robbery, attempted murder, and conspiracy. Police said one of the men arrested is responsible for nine robberies in Bakersfield and in Kern County.
Officials said on Thursday around 11:27 p.m. officers responded to the Vagabond Inn near Highway 99 and Panama Lane for a robbery that just occurred.
Officers said two Hispanic men, one who was armed with a firearm, entered the lobby and demanded money. After getting money, both suspects got into an awaiting vehicle and took off.
Officials said an uninvolved citizen, an adult man, traveling on Colony Street saw the suspect vehicle driving erratically, began following and dialed 911.
The suspect vehicle stopped and a subject got out of the vehicle, pointed a firearm at the citizen and demanded money. The citizen refused and the suspect got back in the suspect vehicle and took off.
The citizen continued to follow the suspects and while traveling eastbound on Berkshire Road the citizen passed the suspect vehicle and a subject inside fired one round at the citizen's vehicle. The citizen's vehicle was not struck and he was not injured. The suspect vehicle was abandoned in the area of East Berkshire Road and Madison Street.
Detectives identified one of the suspects as Jose Gonzales, 19. On Friday around 3:45 a.m. Gonzales was arrested inside a business in near Chester Avenue and 25th Street. He was later booked into the Kern County Jail for one count of robbery, one count of attempted murder and one count of conspiracy.
On Friday around 10:45 a.m. two additional suspects, Jalen Rodriguez, 23, and Richard Gann, 23, were arrested at a residence on Anderson Street which is near Cottonwood Road and E. Planz Rd.
When officers attempted to make contact with Rodriguez and Gann at the front door the two took off through a rear door.
Rodriguez was taken into custody with the use of a police K9 and Gann was detained without incident.
Gann was arrested for his involvement in the robbery at Vagabond Inn as well as attempted murder and conspiracy.
Rodriguez was determined to be responsible for the Vagabond Inn robbery and shooting at the citizen.
Rodriguez was also determined to be responsible for an armed robbery that occurred in the Kern County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as well as several other local robberies listed below:
Sept. 20, 2017: Wienershnitzel-6200 White Lane
Sept. 22, 2017: Little Caesars Pizza - 123 South Union Avenue
Sept. 22, 2017: Jack in the Box - 4200 Chester Ave.
Sept. 27, 2017: Little Caesars Pizza - 2515 S. H St.
Sept. 28, 2017: AMPM - 900 Monterey Street
October 5, 2017: Jack in the Box - 3550 Stine Road
October 9, 2017: La Villa - 700 Planz Rd.
Rodriguez was treated and released from Kern Medical and booked into the Kern County Jail.
Rodriguez was charged with nine counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, one count of attempted murder and one count of conspiracy.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call Detective Jeff Paglia at 326-3556 or the Bakersfield Police Department at 327-7111.
