Store clerk surprised when robber is her dad

12:00 AM CDT on Tuesday, July 15, 2008
By DONNA FIELDER / Denton Record-Chronicle
dfielder@dentonrc.com

Denton pizza restaurant employees were surprised by a robbery Friday, but even more surprising was who the robbery suspects turned out to be.

As Stephanie Martinez was getting money out of a cash drawer Friday night, another clerk fought back against the gunman, knocking off the wig and sunglasses disguising him.

"I dropped the money," Ms. Martinez said. "I said, 'Don't hit him again! That's my dad!' And he said, 'What's he doing here?' and I said, 'I don't know!' "

Police say the suspect, Benjamin Ramirez, 41, ran out of the Pizza Patron in the 100 block of East University Drive to a pickup, where Ms. Martinez's mother and husband were waiting.

Witnesses followed the pickup and helped lead police to it, where Mr. Ramirez, Sonia Palacios, 38, and Jose Miguel Martinez, 26, were arrested.

Denton police say they believe Ms. Martinez didn't know her family was planning the robbery.

"We ... will not be filing charges against her," Sgt. James Brett said. "Her husband told us she didn't know. He knew they were going to rob someplace, but he thought it was going to be a convenience store."

Surveillance video shows the robber as he came into the restaurant about 10:25 p.m., pointing a silver gun that turned out to be a toy, according to a police report.

The suspect repeatedly slapped a male clerk who refused to turn over the money, and the clerk punched him, knocking him out briefly and revealing his identity.

The video shows Ms. Martinez restraining the other clerk from hitting the suspect again as the suspect jumps up and runs from the restaurant.

All three suspects have been charged with aggravated robbery. Mr. Ramirez and Ms. Palacios were being held on immigration violations. Mr. Martinez was free on $50,000 bail.

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