A man accused of robbing the Newton Quick Food Mart No. 2 Shell station at gunpoint on Christmas night has turned himself.
Newton Police Lt. James Creel said Traquan Rashad Kidd, 23, of Decatur turned himself on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, after he was wanted for the gas station hold up on Saturday, December 25, and a bulletin was placed in the National Crime Information Center database.
Kidd has been charged with aggravated armed robbery. Creel said the suspect requested to have his attorney present after his rights were read. The suspect’s bond was set at $75,000 during a hearing in Newton County Justice Court.
Additional charges are possible, as the suspect was in Newton County Drug Court stemming from previous convictions. Creel said the suspect would face his original sentence of over 20 years if he was terminated from Drug Court, as is expected with the new robbery charges.
Creel said the suspect entered the convenience store between 9:30 and 10 p.m. on Christmas Day and was wearing a surgical mask during the incident, but he said the cashier and other customers inside the store recognized the suspect.
“He was a regular. They knew who he was,” Creel said. “It happened right before closing. He took an undetermined amount of cash from the cash register.
“The suspect didn’t try to hide the gun through a bag or anything like that. He brandished the handgun, put it to the cashier’s head and demanded the money from the cash register. Nobody saw from where he came or where he went after it was over. After he went behind the building, no one saw where he went.
“It was maybe the only store open on that afternoon. There may have been money at the store since Thursday night with banks closing early due to the holidays.”
Creel said did not indicate at this time if there would be additional arrests in connection with the case. It is still under investigation by the Newton Police Department.
