Wallace Wade Tidwell
A hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday for an Oliver Springs man charged in two store robberies in Clinton.
The first robbery was reported at the Clinton BP on North Charles Seivers Boulevard on June 13, 2015, and the second was reported at Rocky Top Market in Clinton on July 19, 2016.
Wallace Wade Tidwell III, 38, of Kingston Avenue in Oliver Springs, is charged with aggravated robbery in the first case, and robbery in the second. A hearing for him has been set for 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 7, in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton.
In the first case, the robbery reported at Clinton BP in June 2015, Tidwell allegedly came out of the bathroom, approached a store clerk behind the counter, and demanded money from the cash register—after telling the clerk he “had a bad day,” according to an affidavit filed in General Sessions Court.
The clerk hesitated, and Tidwell allegedly lifted his shirt and displayed what the clerk described as a black handle of a pistol, according to the affidavit, which was filed by Clinton Police Department Detective Sergeant Russell Barker.
Tidwell told the clerk he would not hurt her and insurance would cover the loss, the affidavit said. The clerk allegedly gave Tidwell the money, and he instructed her to go into the back of the store and count to 500, the affidavit said.
“Video surveillance provided a clear image of the defendant and his vehicle, and positive identification has been made on the defendant,” the affidavit said.
It’s not clear how much cash was taken in that alleged robbery.
After the robbery, the CPD reported that the clerk flagged down a patrol car at about 10:30 p.m. and told the officer she had just been robbed.
Barker used suspect and vehicle identification information to locate Tidwell about 15 miles from the crime scene at the Scottish Inn on Callahan Drive in Knoxville, the CPD said in June 2015. Tidwell surrendered, without incident, to CPD and Knoxville Police Department officers, authorities said then.
In the second alleged robbery, reported at Rocky Top Market in Clinton on July 19, 2016, an employee said a man came into the store at about 12:53 a.m., demanded the store’s money, and put his hand into his pocket, according to an affidavit filed by CPD Assistant Chief Vaughn Becker.
The employee “was in fear and believed that he may have a weapon,” the affidavit said. It said no weapon was displayed.
“I viewed the store video and was able to identify the defendant as the robbery suspect,” Becker said.
“The suspect/defendant had robbed the same store in the past and a BP station in 2015,” Becker said.
Tidwell was located within a few hours wearing the same shoes and shorts, and the shirt was in his vehicle. Also found in his vehicle were loose and rolled coins “consistent with the reported stolen money,” Becker said.
“The suspect/defendant waived his rights and admitted to the robbery,” the affidavit said.
It said about $140 was taken.
Tidwell had been jailed June 14, 2015, for the first alleged robbery and released on bond on March 30, 2016.
He remains jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton after the second alleged robbery. His bond on the aggravated robbery charge has been set at $75,000. It’s not clear what the bond amount is in the second case.
An evaluation was ordered for Tidwell at Ridgeview Psychiatric Hospital on August 24 to determine if he is competent to stand trial and to determine his mental capacity. It’s not clear if that evaluation is complete, or what the results were, if it is complete.
Aggravated robbery is a Class B felony, and robbery is a Class C felony.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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