For the week of February 17, 1999  thru February 23, 1999  

Clerk attacked in convenience store


Local police are searching for a man who walked into the Mountain Sun Amoco in Bellevue Saturday morning, allegedly bashed the clerk in the side of the head, breaking his jaw, and then fled on a snowmobile.

Bellevue Marshal Jeff Gunter said the attack may have been part of a botched robbery attempt.

Gunter said the store’s clerk, Billy K. Thompson, 26, a resident of Hailey, reported that he heard a snowmobile pull up to the side of the store just before the man walked in at 7:43 a.m. According to Gunter, Thompson said the man was about 5 feet, six inches tall and of thin build, was wearing a black jacket with a gray stripe, black pants and a black motorcycle helmet and may have been Hispanic.

Gunter said Thompson told him the man hit him in the jaw, either with a weapon or with a fist, and may have said, "Give me the money." Thompson then grabbed a small wagon filled with candy and swung it at the man, who immediately fled, Gunter reported.

"The suspect didn’t make any attempt to get at the cash register after he clobbered the guy," Gunter said. "We’re unsure if it was an actual robbery attempt."

Gunter said Thomson reported that he heard the snowmobile depart after the man ran out, but did not see which direction it went. According to Gunter, Thompson said he thought he heard the snowmobile rev up as the man was leaving, indicating that there may have been a driver.

Gunter said Thompson was treated and released at Wood River Medical Center in Hailey for his jaw injury.

 

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