Suspect charged with three robberies

The Daily Inter Lake

A man police say robbed three convenience stores in late May was arraigned Thursday in Flathead County District Court.

Royden Johnson, 35, pleaded not guilty to three counts of felony robbery.

He is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Police accuse Johnson of attempting to rob Junction Gas and Groceries on U.S. 2 in Columbia Heights at gunpoint on May 21.

Forty minutes and 20 miles later, a man believed to be Johnson did rob the Woodland Qwik Stop on Woodland Park Drive in Evergreen, again at gunpoint, police said. He escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Two days later, a man entered the Kum 'n' Go convenience store on U.S. 93 South in Kalispell, police said.

Johnson allegedly pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the clerk and demanded money from the register. The clerk refused to hand it over and was on the phone with police as the suspect bolted through the door, police said.

Johnson allegedly wore a red bandanna to cover his face at all three robberies.

Johnson was arrested on July 23 on Woodland Park Drive.

If convicted, Johnson faces up to 40 years in prison and a $50,000 fine for each count. His trial is set for the Oct. 29 jury term.