Police arrested a man allegedly suspected in a string of armed robberies in Howard County after a scuffle in Baltimore County that sent three officers to a hospital with minor injuries.
The suspect, Robert S. Gerhold, 36, of no fixed address, was charged with five counts of armed robbery, six counts of second-degree assault and seven counts of theft after being arrested Thursday afternoon by police from Howard and Baltimore counties. After he went briefly to a hospital, he was taken to the Howard County Detention Center, police said yesterday.
He was charged with the robberies this month of a Columbia Blockbuster Video, a Columbia Sunoco station, a Columbia Exxon station, an Elkridge Hollywood Video and El Patio, a convenience store in Jessup, police said.
Howard County police began searching for Gerhold on July 19 after linking him to the Jessup robbery, Pfc. Jamie Myers said yesterday.
On Thursday, detectives tracked him down to the area of Putty Hill Avenue and Walther Boulevard in Fullerton, and approached him as he was getting into a car driven by another man. Police said Gerhold fled and then assaulted two Baltimore County officers and one Howard County officer when they caught him.
The car's driver, Donald F. Clark, 20, of Catonsville, was charged with harboring a fugitive and obstruction.
Gerhold also was served with outstanding warrants on charges including armed robbery and assault. He was being held on $250,000 bail.
rona.marech@baltsun.com