Man accused of robbing same Tacoma grocery store twice arraigned

A man accused of robbing the same Tacoma Safeway store twice in January has been arrested and arraigned.

Pierce County prosecutors charged Darnell Walker, 55, with two counts of first-degree robbery, and a warrant was put out for his arrest.

Authorities in Fairfield, California, eventually apprehended Walker, Tacoma police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said. He was sent back to Pierce County, where he pleaded not guilty at arraignment May 5.

Court Commissioner Meagan Foley set his bail at $250,000.

The first robbery happened Jan. 15 at the store in the 700 block of South 56th Street. The second was 10 days later, according to charging papers.

Prosecutors allege that, in each robbery, Walker showed an employee a gun, demanded money and fled with the cash.

Walker’s public defender was not reachable for comment Thursday.

This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Man accused of robbing same Tacoma grocery store twice arraigned."