Crime.(Photo: azcentral)
A security officer at the Bluewater Resort and Casino in Parker robbed the casino vault at gunpoint and led officers on a high-speed chase when he attempted to get away, authorities said.
Vladimir Quintana, 25, entered the casino located northwest of Parker shortly before 4 a.m. on Nov. 26, and was almost fully disguised and carrying an AR-15 assault rifle, according to court documents. Quintana walked directly to the casino's vault and pointed the rifle at two security officers, demanding them to take him inside.
In the vault, Quintana had the security officers turn and face the wall, while he pointed the rifle at a vault cashier and ordered money to be placed in a duffel bag. With about $132,500 in the bag, Quintana ran out of the casino and drove off in a Chevrolet Silverado pickup, records show.
A Colorado Indian Rivers Tribes police officer was responding to the robbery and was down the road from the casino when he heard two gunshots, according to court records. The officer continued to drive toward the casino when he saw Quintana, who spotted the officer and sped away, records show.
The officer activated his lights and tried to pull Quintana over, but the pursuit continued as Quintana reached speeds up to 100 miles per hour, records show.
The officer was eventually able to stop and detain Quintana, who had placed the rifle and a semi-automatic pistol in plain-view on his passenger seat.
Quintana told the officer that he was involved in the armed robbery, according to court documents, but said another man had stolen the money and thrown the bag somewhere on the casino property.
Quintana also stated that he had fired the two shots accidentally because he was scared.
The bag was found down a steep embankment near the casino, records show.
Quintana was taken to the La Paz County Jail where he was further interviewed. Records show he told authorities that the day prior to the robbery, he had driven down to Phoenix to do yard work for an individual, whose name he could not recall. The man asked Quintana for a ride up to Parker to meet his friends, according to Quintana.
Back in Parker, Quintana said he was threatened by the individual and his friends, who had information on his family, home and other security guards at the casino. Quintana said he was forced to give information on the casino vault and to assist with the robbery, records show.
Quintana said he waited nearby, while the individual entered the casino alone. However, video surveillance in the vault showed that it was Quintana who had robbed the casino. Further investigation and interviews with his family revealed that Quintana had lied to authorities and that he had never left Parker, records show.
Quintana has been charged with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of robbery and one count of interference with commerce by robbery.
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