STOCKTON - Stockton police have arrested a 21-year-old man who is suspected of driving the vehicle that dropped off three bank robbers at a north Stockton bank in mid July.
That bank robbery led to three hostages being taken, an hour-long police chase and shootout, and the eventual shooting deaths of two suspects, and one of the hostages.
Pablo Ruvalcaba was charged with murder for his alleged part in the crime spree. He was arraigned in Stockton Monday afternoon alongside the surviving bank robbery suspect, Jaime Ramos.
Ruvalcaba was named the alleged driver last September by police but wasn't arrested then. Chief of Police Eric Jones would not say Monday at a news conference why police were able to arrest the alleged gang member now.
Ruvalcaba and Ramos were indicted by a grand jury, rather than through a public preliminary hearing. San Joaquin County prosecutor Mark Ott said that's often done to limit news coverage of the evidence to prevent a change of venue.
"Having a preliminary hearing in open court would not make my job easier. There is an advantage I can litigate a change of venue motion without the facts being out there," Ott said.
Both suspects face the possibility of the death penalty. Each was charged with three counts of murder and 35 counts of attempted murder on police officers.
