Armed robbery suspect arrested

A man suspected of being involved in the June robbery of a ’76’ gas station in Blythe, CA has been arrested in Ehrenberg, AZ.

Early Thursday morning (August 7th), La Paz County Task Force and La Paz County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Michael Nopah, who was allegedly involved in the robbery and successfully fled the scene while his suspected accomplice was being arrested.

On June 23rd, 2014, Blythe Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Team (BNET), investigated an armed robbery that occurred at the ’76’ station in Blythe. During the followup investigation, one of the alleged suspects, Darringer Gonzales, was located in an alleyway nearby. According to the Palo Verde Times in Blythe, “Officers contacted Gonzales who was still armed with a rifle and an officer-involved shooting occurred. Gonzales was struck by gunfire and was transported to a hospital for medical treatment.”

Further investigation revealed that Nopah, from the Parker area, was allegedly involved in the armed robbery and had successfully fled the scene. A warrant was then issued for his arrest.

The La Paz County Sheriff’s Office says the Task Force received information on Wednesday that Nopah was possibly staying in a residence in the town of Ehrenberg.

Task Force Detectives conducted surveillance on the residence until they could get enough personnel from the Sheriff’s Office to safely conduct an arrest. Early Thursday morning at approximately 12:22 am, the officers knocked on the door of the residence, made contact with Nopah and placed him under arrest without incident.

Nopah was booked into the La Paz County Detention Facility on a warrant as a fugitive from justice on California charges for 1st Degree Armed Robbery.