Women charged with Solon Springs robbery

Two Hayward women accused of robbing a Solon Springs convenience store at gunpoint were bound over for arraignment Wednesday in Douglas County Circuit Court.

Both Sarah Ann Melton, 17, and Alyssa Marie Littlewind, 18, waived their preliminary hearings Wednesday. The two are accused of taking part in an armed robbery at JT’s One Stop in Solon Springs on Feb. 2 and in a “dine and dash” incident earlier that evening at the Covered Wagon restaurant. Each woman faces one felony count of armed robbery and one misdemeanor count of fraud on an innkeeper, both as a party to a crime.

According to the criminal complaint: An armed robbery at JT’s One Stop gas station/convenience store was reported the evening of Feb. 2. The suspect vehicle, with its license plates covered, pulled into the store parking lot at 8:34 p.m. A female and male exited the vehicle, while a third person remained in the car. The two entered the store and approached the counter to purchase a bottle of water. When the cashier opened the till, the male pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the cashier and the cashier handed money to the female. The two left the store and fled in the vehicle. The entire incident took three minutes.

Earlier in the evening, three people in a similar vehicle ordered food at the Covered Wagon and left without paying for it. Vehicle descriptions and surveillance camera footage from both incidents indicated that the suspects were the same. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Department issued a press release to media with a photograph of the suspects at JT’s One Stop. Fifteen minutes after the photo aired on local TV stations, a tip was received linking the male to a shoplifting incident in Hayward where a license plate number had been visible. Additionally, a deputy with the Sawyer Count Sheriff’s Department identified both the male and female suspect in the photograph as being from Hayward.

If convicted, Littlewind and Melton could face 40 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $100,000 on the armed robbery charge and up to nine months imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000 on the fraud count. A $2,000 cash bond was set for Melton. Littlewind’s cash bond was amended to $1,000. As a condition of their bonds, both were ordered to have no contact with the other two suspects or JT’s One Stop. In addition, Melton was ordered not to possess or use any dangerous weapons. Littlewind’s next court appearance is set for March 1. Melton’s next court appearance is set for April 8.

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