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Joe P. Asher

Staff Writer

Another arrest has been made in connection to a robbery that occurred at the Harlan Pizza Hut on Dec. 5. Matthew Johnson, 20, of Evarts, was arrested early Tuesday by Harlan City Police Sgt. George Young on a charge of first-degree robbery.

According to Harlan City Police Chief Mike Thomas, Johnson’s arrest is the result of investigating tips received from the public.

“Since the robbery occurred, we had multiple tips come in on Matthew Johnson,” said Thomas. “Sgt. Young obtained a search warrant for his residence in Evarts and an arrest warrant for him. Last night officers executed those warrants.”

Young was assisted at the scene by Harlan City Police officers Britt Ross, Mike Ashurst and Will Pope, and Evarts Police officers John Teagle and William Clogston.

Thomas said “nothing substantial” was located at the residence.

“We were looking for the suspected gun and keys and a few things like that. We were unable to recover that,” said Thomas.

Harlan City Police Officers Young and Britt Ross were dispatched to the Pizza Hut in Harlan on Dec. 5 to investigate following a 911 call through Kentucky State Police Post 10. Pizza Hut Manager Dottie Brock advised officers two men wearing masks approached her when she was carrying the nightly bank deposit to her vehicle. Brock told police one of the men pointed a handgun at her and demanded the money bag and the keys to the Pizza Hut. The two men then fled the scene. Harlan City Police were assisted at the scene by Kentucky State Police troopers Kevin Miller and Marcus Williams.

Johnson is not the first arrest that is allegedly connected with the incident. Donnie Pace, 25, of Evarts, and Donna Brown, 24, of Evarts, were arrested on Dec. 14 and charged with first-degree robbery in connection with the incident. A press release issued by the Harlan City Police Department at the time of the arrests stated evidence had been discovered during investigation leading to the arrests of Pace and Brown.

Johnson was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center on a $25,000 full cash bond.

In other police activity, Harlan County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Cope arrested Joshua Greene on Monday on charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, trafficking a controlled substance and operating a vehicle with an expired operator’s license. Greene was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.

Reach Joe P. Asher at 606-573-4510 or jasher@civitasmedia.com