Suspects arrested for Atascadero bank robbery identified

Posted: 6:44 pm, April 23, 2014 by Access Publishing

Update: Atascadero Police Department release name of second robbery suspect

At the time of the preliminary press release the names of two individuals who were contacted and subsequently arrested by the Atascadero Police Department were not available. There were two suspects contacted and placed under arrest for the robbery of Chase Bank in Atascadero on April 17.

The subject who entered the bank and was subsequently arrested after a short standoff with police had previously been identified as George Jesie Gonzales, 55, of Santa Maria. The second subject, seen driving the vehicle, has been identified as Tonya Michelle Young, 33, of Paso Robles. Both subjects were booked at SLO County Jail for robbery.

Photo of crime scene at Chase bank in Atascadero by Rick Evans.

Atascadero police responded to a robbery in progress Thursday at 5:21 p.m. The incident occurred at Chase Bank at 8055 El Camino Real. Police responded and stopped a car matching a witness’s description. A standoff began with officers surrounding the car at gunpoint, according to reports.

Police arrested a male robbery suspect hiding in the trunk of the suspected getaway car and the female driver, according to reports.

George Jessie Gonzales, 55, was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail Thursday night for robbery. He is described as 5′-9″, 153 lbs., with gray hair and brown eyes. He is being held on $60,000 bail. SLO County Sheriff’s are not releasing the suspect’s booking photo at the request of the Atascadero Police Department, according to Tony Cipolla, public information officer with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office. There was no information available on the female driver.

Authorities believe the robbery may be related to two others earlier this year. On March 21, a Bank of America in Pismo Beach was robbed, and on April 3, a Bank of America in Arroyo Grande was hit.