May 10, 2009
Gary Davidson
Public Information Office

SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER TWO FOILED PHARMACY HOLD-UPS

A 33-year-old DeLand man failed in his attempt to rob two pharmacies on Saturday, leaving the second hold-up in handcuffs. The defendant, Christopher Blackwell, told Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies that he had lost his job and was trying to get OxyCoton from the pharmacies so he could sell the drugs to get money to pay his bills. 

In both robbery attempts, the suspect approached the pharmacy and passed a note demanding OxyCoton and claiming to have a gun. The first foiled robbery attempt took place at 6:40 a.m. at a Walgreens on Saxon Boulevard in Orange City. Blackwell would later tell deputies that he got cold feet, took the note back and left the store. The Orange City Police Department investigated the incident.

Two hours later, at 8:40 a.m., a suspect entered the CVS Pharmacy on Howland Boulevard in Deltona and handed the stick-up note to an employee at the pharmacy counter. The employee gave the note to the pharmacist and then immediately dialed 911. The pharmacist -- who noticed the man was holding a black object -- told the suspect the OxyCoton was locked up and she would have to get a manager. When the manager came back to the counter, he also said he didn’t have the key. That’s when Blackwell turned and walked towards the front of the store. But by that time, the first responding deputy already was inside the business. The deputy spotted Blackwell, pulled out his gun and ordered the suspect to the ground. Blackwell initially complied, but then physically resisted the deputy’s efforts to handcuff him. The deputy was able to use his Taser to gain control of the suspect, and a second deputy quickly arrived for backup and helped to handcuff Blackwell. After searching Blackwell, the black object turned out to be a case for sunglasses.

The Sheriff’s Office charged Blackwell with attempted armed robbery and resisting an officer without violence, while Orange City Police charged him with attempted armed robbery. Blackwell was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach on $50,500 bond.