Mississippi man charged with Las Cruces Subway robbery, fleeing police

LAS CRUCES – A man from Waveland, Mississippi, stands accused of robbing the Subway on North Telshor Boulevard and fleeing police.

Robert Courtiade, 28, is charged with armed robbery and aggravated fleeing from an officer. Police arrested Courtiade on April 23 around noon, jail records show, after a brief chase near North Main Street. He remained jailed in the Doña Ana County Detention Center as of the publication of this article.

According to an affidavit by Las Cruces Police Detective Veronica De La O, Courtiade confessed to the robbery and fled a police officer after his arrest. He told De la O that he and his girlfriend were headed to Oregon when they stopped in Las Cruces.

Courtiade told De La O he held up the Subway on North Telshor because area banks were closed on Sunday, and he needed money for a hotel room. An employee at the Subway said Courtiade drove a black Volkswagen into the parking lot, walked inside, and tossed him a bag.

“You know what to do,” Courtiade said, according to the Subway employee, before pointing a black handgun at the employee.

De La O did not include how much money Courtiade took from the Subway before leaving. Shortly after, however, the employee called 911 to report the incident. Not long later, Officer Fran Whitten spotted Courtiade’s Volkswagen and gave chase near North Main Street. But Courtiade crashed at the Kentucky Fried Chicken on North Main Street and Three Crosses Boulevard just after the pursuit began.

Courtiade and his girlfriend fled on foot, but Courtiade was detained shortly after. He told police his girlfriend was not involved in the robbery at all. A review of court records and arrest logs suggest she was not charged with a crime for any involvement in the incident.

De La O also said that Courtiade said he had a package of flour wrapped to look like cocaine and a second gun in the trunk. Courtiade is scheduled for a first appearance in the Doña Ana Magistrate court on April 24 around 1:30 p.m.

Justin Garcia covers public safety and local government in Las Cruces. He can be reached via email at JEGarcia@lcsun-news.com, via phone or text at 575-541-5449, or on Twitter @Just516Garc.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Mississippi man charged with Las Cruces Subway robbery, fleeing police