Suspect held in Joplin armed robbery

Feb. 20—A 22-year-old Joplin man is being held on charges that he robbed another man of his gun and cellphone Friday morning in the 900 block of South Connor Avenue.

Andrew M. Widener, who remained in custody Tuesday at the Jasper County Jail on a $35,000 bond, is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Jasper County Circuit Court on charges of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action.

Capt. William Davis of the Joplin Police Department said Andrew L. Brown, 60, of Joplin, was showing Widener a handgun when the suspect suddenly loaded the weapon and robbed Brown of both it and his phone.

Police located the suspect later the same day and arrested him with the assistance of a police dog, Davis said. Widener had to be taken to a hospital for treatment of a dog bite before going to jail, Davis said.