Grand jury indicts accused bank robber

A Florence man involved in the September robbery of a Phil Campbell bank was recently indicted by a Franklin County grand jury.

Ronald Pollard, 49, of 2011 Hixon Ave., Florence, was indicted on charges of first-degree robbery, Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing said.

According to officials, Pollard entered the Phil Campbell branch of CB&S bank on the afternoon of September 23 and passed a note to one of the two tellers demanding money and saying he would shoot her if she did not meet his demands.

The teller gave Pollard an unspecified amount of money and he left the bank on foot.

Officers with the Phil Campbell Police Department responded to the scene within 30 seconds of being notified, but Pollard had already fled the area.

Authorities did not initially know that Pollard was their suspect, but a tip from the Shoals Area CrimeStoppers led authorities to a residence in Florence where the supposed vehicle driven by the robbery suspect was parked.

The blue Chevrolet Astro van matched the description of the get-away vehicle provided by witness statements, but after using explosives to enter the residence, authorities could not find anyone at home.

Pollard was located a week after the robbery took place at the America’s Best Value Inn on Casino Center Drive in Tunica, Miss., after authorities received a tip that he had a gambling problem and could be in the area at one of the casinos.

Pollard was taken into custody by the Tunica County Sheriff’s Office and held until he waived extradition and was returned to Franklin County by officers with the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the Phil Campbell Police Department.

Pollard remains in custody at the Franklin County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing said Pollard’s case should be set for the August 15 criminal trial docket.