A pizza deliveryman told Des Moines police that he shot a man who robbed him at gunpoint when he delivered a pie late Thursday to a south-side address.The alleged assailant, Kenneth Jimmerson, 19, was taken to Mercy Medical Center in serious condition. He was charged this morning with first-degree robbery and will be taken to Polk County Jail when released from the hospital, police said.
Melanie Stout, 18, the woman who placed the order for the pizzas, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Restaurant officials have suspended the Pizza Hut driver, James William Spiers, while the case is under investigation. Polk County officials today confirmed that Spiers holds a valid gun permit, which was renewed in November.
Spiers said the incident happened at an apartment building in the 2000 block of Southeast King Avenue.
Spiers, 38, of Des Moines, told police that when he arrived at the entrance of the building, a man put a gun to Spiers head and robbed him of an undisclosed amount of cash.
Spiers said that he grabbed the man's gun, pulled out a weapon of his own, and shot the man in the side, according to a police report.
Vonnie Walbert, vice president of human resources at Pizza Hut, said:
“We have policy against carrying weapons. We prohibit employees from carrying guns because we believe that that is the safest for everybody.”
Spiers called police after the wounded suspect fled.
Officers said Spiers was in the parking lot when they arrived shortly after 10:30 p.m. and that he immediately raised his hands up and knelt to the ground.
Officers said Spiers told them “that he had a gun in each of his front coat pockets.”
The officer found a metallic gun from the left pocket of Spiers’ coat and a black handgun in the right hand pocket.
Spiers was taken to the police station for questioning.
The driver will most likely lose his job as per Pizza Hut company policy.
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