news-record.com

GREENSBORO — A federal grand jury has returned a 14-count indictment on the surviving suspect in a Wachovia bank robbery and shootout Feb. 9 with Greensboro police.

Christopher O’Neal Patterson, 23, was indicted Aug. 31 on five counts each of armed robbery and brandishing a weapon in the commission of an armed robbery; three counts of assault during a robbery and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The new indictments supersede two federal indictments handed down against him in February.

Patterson also is facing seven state charges of fleeing to elude arrest, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy. He was indicted on those charges by a Guilford County grand jury Aug. 17.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The new federal indictments detail a series of robberies authorities believe Patterson committed throughout the Triad with  Dimarkchrisy Eddie Majors, 22.

Majors was killed in the Feb. 9 roadside shootout with police along Patterson Street. Patterson was shot in the gunbattle and required surgery and rehabilitation at Central Prison in Raleigh. 

Patterson is accused of being involved in robberies of:

• Kwik Trip at 1200 Bessemer Ave. on Jan. 13.
• Great Stops at 728 N. Church St. in Burlington on Jan. 19.
• Greensboro Municipal Credit Union at 271 N. Greene St. on Jan. 26.
• First Bank at 1200 N. Main St. in High Point on Feb. 2.
• Wachovia at 3608 High Point Road on Feb. 9.

In all, the robberies netted more than $21,000, according to court records.

In the Wachovia robbery, Patterson and Majors are accused of robbing the bank about 5 p.m. and pistol-whipping a customer.

The customer got away, dialed 911 and gave police dispatchers turn-by-turn directions on the robbers.  

Police said the robbers shot at officers during a pursuit before losing control and crashing near the entrance to Interstate 40.

Several police officers were involved in the roadside shooout.

Officer Matt O’Hal was struck by the robbers’ vehicle when it crashed and was shot twice in the gunbattle.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

Barring a change of plea or delays, Patterson is expected to go to trial on federal charges Oct. 12.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com