JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man is facing a string of felony charges, after authorities say he and another man carried out a series of armed robberies targeting food trucks and a restaurant over three days in May.
Bronquell Hutchinson, 26, was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Friday. He faces charges stemming from four separate incidents between May 19 and May 21.
Recommended Videos
What investigators say happened
The alleged crime spree began in the early morning hours of May 19, when officers responded to an armed robbery at Taco Loco, a food truck on Powers Ave. According to the arrest report, two males dressed in all black approached a worker as he was closing up outside the truck. Investigators say the suspects made off with more than $1,000 in cash.
Two days later, on the evening of May 21, officers were dispatched to two additional armed robberies — this time at the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant on Ft. Caroline Road, and at Tipicos Antojitos, a food truck on University Blvd. W. Investigators noted the same suspect vehicle was spotted leaving the scene of each robbery, and that the same two individuals used the same method of approaching businesses as they were closing.
At the Ft. Caroline Road location, a 19-year-old victim told detectives she had stepped outside to bring belongings to her car when two unknown individuals approached her from behind a dumpster. Her younger siblings were seated in the back of her vehicle at the time.
At the Tipicos Antojitos food truck, a worker told investigators he was closing up when two men in face masks approached him. An iPhone 13 Pro Max was among the items reported stolen.
Attempted murder charges added after pursuit
A fourth incident unfolded in the chaotic moments after the University Boulevard robbery. The owner of the Tipicos Antojitos food truck said he received a call from his nephew — who was working the truck — alerting him to the robbery. The owner, who was nearby, spotted a black SUV driving erratically southbound on University Blvd. W. He followed the vehicle into a parking lot on University Blvd. W., where he says the vehicle turned around and a shooting occurred. The food truck owner and a passenger both sustained minor injuries and were not transported to the hospital.
Hutchinson was charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder in connection with that incident.
Arrests made after felony take-down
According to court documents, JSO’s Real Time Crime Center provided investigative intelligence on a possible suspect vehicle based on similarities to the May 19 robbery. Patrol officers coordinated and located the vehicle, conducting a felony take-down that resulted in both suspects being taken into custody.
Hutchinson and a 21-year-old co-defendant were transported to the Police Memorial Building for interviews. Hutchinson is currently being held on a bond of more than $3 million.