Both suspects wanted in connection to a robbery in downtown Southern Pines were arrested by police.
The first suspect, Kristopher Dean Onorati, 32, of Glendon Carthage Road in Carthage was arrested on June 6, and he is being held on a $125,000 bond in jail. He is charged with conspiring to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
The second suspect, Stephen Edward Bender, 23, of Meadowfield Circle in Aberdeen was arrested on June 15. He is charged with common law robbery, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, and parole violation. Bender is being held on $100,000 bond in jail.
The robbery took place on June 3rd at the Short Stop on Broad Street and Connecticut Avenue in downtown Southern Pines. According to the Southern Pines Police Department, two unarmed men approached the 29 year old victim in a white pickup truck with a blue stripe, and dragged the victim under the truck. The victim suffered head trauma, and was transported by EMS to the ball field on Morganton Road where a life flight helicopter transported the patient to UNC Hospitals.
Here is a link to our original story about the robbery with a video of the helicopter taking off: http://sandhillssenti.wpengine.com/one-airlifted-robbery-downtown-southern-pines/
