Two suspects in the May 25 armed robbery of the McDonald’s restaurant at Love’s Truck Stop are in Phelps County Jail each with $250,000 bond.

Jason Ketcherside, 29, of Vienna and Charles Chambers, 63, of St. James have been charged with that robbery.

At about 11:30 p.m. May 25, the Rolla Police Department received a 911 call of an armed robbery that had just occurred in the parking lot of McDonald's located at the Love's Truck Stop, 3500 Hypoint, Rolla.

The victim, an employee of McDonald’s, had just entered a vehicle when the suspect approached the victim, brandished a black handgun, and took the bank deposit bag containing more than $1,000 in cash.

The suspect entered an awaiting vehicle, driven by a second suspect, and fled the scene. The victim immediately called the police by cellular phone and provided a description of the vehicle and of the suspect. The victim did not sustain any injuries as a result of the robbery.

Area law enforcement agencies responded and began a search for the vehicle but were unsuccessful.

The parking lot where the robbery occurred at was secured and processed for evidence by the Rolla Police Department Division of Criminal Investigations.

On Friday, a detective with the Division of Criminal Investigations located the suspects’ vehicle in the parking lot of a motel in St. James.

Law enforcement personnel from the St. James Police Department, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department and the Rolla Police Department responded to the motel and secured the area.

Shortly thereafter, investigators were able to identify the motel room where the owner of the vehicle was staying.

In the process of contacting the owner, a male subject was located in the same motel room. The male subject was identified as  Ketcherside who had two felony warrants for his arrest.

One warrant was for absconding from electronic monitoring issued by the Missouri Department of Probation and Parole and the second warrant was for probation violation issues from Maries County.

During the arrest of Ketcherside, investigators recovered methamphetamine paraphernalia.

Investigators developed a probable cause belief that Ketcherside and Chambers of St. James were responsible for the recent armed robbery that occurred at McDonald’s.

Further information was developed that Chambers was at a residence located within Phelps County.

Surveillance of the residence was established and members of the Rolla Police Department’s SWAT team were called-in to make the apprehension Chambers who had an extensive criminal history of more than 100 felony charges including robbery, assault, and weapons offenses.

Chambers was soon arrested after leaving the residence.

Assisting in the arrest were deputies from the Phelps County Sheriff's Department. Investigators recovered a black handgun from the residence where Chambers was staying. The handgun’s serial number appeared to have been tampered with and was sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Criminal Laboratory for further examination along with other items collected throughout the investigation.

Both Jason Ketcherside and Charles Chambers were incarcerated in the Phelps County Jail pending warrant application for first-degree robbery, armed criminal action.

Arrest warrants were issued against the two each held with a bond of $250,000.

Persons with additional information pertaining to this case should call the Rolla Police Department at (573) 364-1213 or the Rolla Police Department’s confidential tip hotline at (573) 364-0111.