The Duluth woman taxi cab driver who was robbed at gunpoint early Wednesday initially grabbed the gun from the robber and pushed it away before he pushed it back and threatened to shoot her.
That information was contained in a criminal complaint filed today charging Anthony Christopher Weems, 25, with first-degree aggravated robbery, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Judge Dennis Murphy set bail at $35,000. Weems was being held in the St. Louis County Jail tonight. His next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 29.
According to the criminal complaint:
Allied taxicab driver Terry Malzac, 49, picked up a man at 729 W. First St. She said in the area of 120 W. Third St. he asked her for change for $50. She said she didn't have it. The man then pulled out a small black automatic handgun and demanded money. Malzac grabbed the gun and pushed it away.
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The suspect pushed the gun back toward her and said "I'll shoot you b----." Malzac turned over a black wallet that contained about $230. The man unsuccessfully tried to rip out the cab's radio and grabbed the keys to the cab before walking away while pointing the gun toward Malzac. The cab driver had a spare set of keys and drove to Tri-Towers on Second Avenue East and called 911. She told police she was very sure she would recognize the suspect.
Malzac described the man who robbed her as a thin black man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, wearing a dark blue parka with fur on the hood, and cargo-style pants. She said he had a very thin scar by his left eye, a light moustache and light facial hair.
A Duluth police officer remembered a man matching that description being involved in a disturbance on West First Street earlier this month. The officer remembered the name of that man as Anthony Weems and remembered an address where Weems might be located. Officers went to that address and met with a person who told them that Weems hung out in an apartment across the street.
Malzac identified Weems as the person who robbed her. The suspect gave police several conflicting versions of how and where he spent the evening. Officers searched the apartment of Weems' girlfriend. They found a dark-colored jacket with a fur-lined hood and pants with $213 in the pocket. Weems has a scar in the area of his left eye.
A loaded .32-caliber Kal-Tec pistol was also found in the apartment.
Weems is serving two years' probation for a September domestic assault incident in which he was convicted of making terroristic threats. He was convicted earlier this year of giving a peace officer false identification.
