Senior citizen booked on Orange Park bank robbery

ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A 75-year-old man accused of robbing an Orange Park bank of $1,760 Monday morning only made it a short distance before he was stopped on Interstate 10 and arrested, according to the arrest report.

Deputies were called to the Bank of America on Blanding Boulevard at Wells Road, right in front of the Orange Park Mall, at 10:03 a.m. According to the Clay County Sheriff's Office, the robber walked into the bank, handed the teller a note that implied he had a weapon and walked out with the cash.

Witnesses' descriptions of the man and his car were quickly shared with surrounding law enforcement agencies, and Noel Johnson, of Fort White, was pulled over on I-10 near Lane Avenue about 10 minutes after the robbery. Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Dylan Bryan said a bag with a large sum of money was in plain view on the passenger seat. Threatening note used in the holdup was also found in the car, according to the arrest report.

Deputies said Johnson complained of being light-headed, so paramedics were also called to check on him. Johnson was deemed healthy and taken to the Clay County Jail.

Johnson appeared before a judge Tuesday morning on a charge of armed robbery and was ordered held on $10,000 bond.

Records show Johnson appeared to be struggling financially. In 2016, Johnson was sued by a credit card company that ordered him to pay $4,600. Johnson filed for bankruptcy in May 2017.

A month after filing bankruptcy, his wife died.

In Columbia County, where Johnson was listed as a resident, he had no criminal record -- not even a record of a speeding ticket.

Deputies said there were no injuries at the bank, but the tellers were shaken up.