Charlotte man charged with armed robbery of Fort Mill McDonald’s

A Charlotte man is in jail on armed robbery charges after York County Sheriff’s deputies caught him carrying bags of money out of a Fort Mill McDonald’s last Wednesday night.

Joshua Dominique Bennett, 21, was arrested at the scene after law enforcement received a tip of a robbery in progress at the restaurant on S.C. 160. Bennett is being held in the York County Detention Center on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, drug possession and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Sheriff’s deputies along with Tega Cay Police officers arrived around 11 p.m. Wednesday just as Bennett was leaving with bags of money in each hand, wearing a gray hoodie and sunglasses, according to the arrest report.

Bennett was taken into custody without incident. He was reportedly carrying a silver-and-pink handgun.

Inside the restaurant, officers found seven employees and a customer locked in the back office. The witnesses said Bennett forced them into the back of the building and had them open the business’ safe, then had them fill two bags full of cash before locking them in the office before he fled.

After Bennett was placed into a patrol car, a deputy noticed he was moving around in the back seat “as if he were trying to manipulate something.” When the deputy spoke to him, he noticed a white pill fall out of his mouth.

In his hands, offices found two plastic bags containing 21 Xanax pills. Bennett reportedly told them he had already consumed several of the pills and was taken to Piedmont Medical Center for treatment. Another 64 pills were later found in Bennett’s clothing, the report states.

Bennett is being held on a $146,100 bond.

This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 3:02 PM with the headline "Charlotte man charged with armed robbery of Fort Mill McDonald’s."