SANTA ROSA >> A Lakeport man was arraigned in Sonoma County for his role in the robbery of an armored car in Windsor earlier this week.
Ivan Morales, 23, has been charged with two counts of robbery and attempted murder. The court added an enhancement for using a rifle to cause great bodily injury.
During the daylight heist on Tuesday afternoon, an armored car guard was shot multiple times and the pair — Morales and Serge Gutsu of Antelope — fired on pursuing officers.
The incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. in front of a Chase Bank branch located in a Windsor shopping center. According to a report by Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies, an SUV approached the armored car in the parking area. Two masked men exited the SUV, one reportedly carrying an assault-style rifle, and shot a guard.
They fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
Law enforcement officers pursued the vehicle through parts of Napa County, during which Gutsu allegedly fired at least one shot at a police officer in Calistoga.
The officer rammed the SUV with his vehicle. Gutsu was injured in the collision and captured at the scene. Morales climbed from the vehical and took off on foot.
He was located in a creek bed just over 4 hours later and placed under arrest.
During their investigation, law enforcement officials were able to link both Gutsu and Morales to at least one other armored car robbery, in Granada Hills, and a homocide case in San Dimas.
The pair are being held in Sonoma County Jail. Authorities report the wounded guard was conscious when transported to the hospital but provided no further detail.
