KINGMAN – Police Chief Rusty Cooper said authorities don’t know if drugs or mental health conditions explain what motivated a Kingman man’s bizarre crime spree on Jan. 7. The ordeal began with a 911 call at 3:08 p.m. that a man confronted and assaulted a 76-year-old woman in the parking lot of Walmart, at 3300 Stockton Hill Road.
“He punched the victim in the head and face, knocking her to the ground,” Cooper said. The suspect was later identified as Robert Spano, 42.
Cooper said Spano tried to take the woman’s keys from her pockets to steal her vehicle. He said he made comments about being set on fire before he fled on foot and continued committing felony and misdemeanor offenses at area businesses.
“Spano fled to the Cracker Barrel parking lot, 3500 block of Stockton Hill Road, where witnesses observed him attempting to enter multiple parked cars while making comments about the world coming to an end,” the police chief said.
Spano reportedly next entered the nearby Golden Corral where he confronted the restaurant manager who pushed him away as he tried to get behind the cashier counter. Cooper said Spano tried to enter more vehicles in that parking lot.
Cooper said Spano subsequently confronted a 33-year-old woman and her 56-year-old mother near their vehicle at Deering Therapy in the 1900 block of Morrow Avenue.
“Spano was making statements of the world coming to an end and asking if they were going to shoot him,” Cooper said. “Spano attempted to enter their vehicle, which was occupied by a 3-year-old toddler. Both women struggled with Spano, attempting to keep him from stealing the car and away from the toddler.”
Spano fled that business as well and was captured in the yard of a nearby residence at 3:14 p.m., about 6 minutes from the start of the crime wave.
“He was subdued by use of a Taser,” Cooper said. “He was placed into custody and continued to fight and resist officers by kicking and attempting to bite.”
The female victims were treated at Kingman Regional Medical Center. Officers were not seriously injured.
“Spano was not seriously injured and did not require medical attention,” said Cooper. “The cause of Spano’s mental state and actions has not been determined.
Spano was jailed for multiple robbery, assault, criminal damage, trespass and disorderly conduct charges.
Dave Hawkins
