ROCKINGHAM — A man with pending probation violations for larceny was killed during an altercation with bail bondsmen outside a gas station Saturday night.
According to the Rockingham Police Department, two unnamed bondsmen — a man and woman — from Action Bail Bonds out of Moore County went to the Richmond County Jail to bail out 32-year-old Robert Lee Blue II, who fled when they tried to get him to sign paperwork.
They caught up with him around 9 p.m. at the Quik Chek gas station on U.S. 1 near the U.S. 74 bypass, and when they tried to apprehend them, police say a struggle ensued and Blue tried to reach for one of the bondsmen’s guns.
A military veteran on the way from Myrtle Beach to attend a memorial service in West Virginia reportedly jumped in to help.
Blue died at the scene after being placed in a submission hold, police say. One of the bondsmen was taken to the hospital for injuries sustained in the scuffle.
The case is still under investigation and police were scheduled to turn information over to the district attorney’s office Tuesday to determine if charges will be filed.
Online court records show Blue had a June 3 court date for two probation violations, two counts of possession of stolen goods or property and one count each of breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering. The felony charges were from the Division of Community Corrections.
Blue received an 18-month suspended sentence last October for one count each of larceny from person and and breaking and entering, according to records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction.
Records show he was previously convicted of larceny, breaking and entering, and assault.
