The search for the suspect from Tuesday evening's bank robbery here came to an end Wednesday morning on the side of U.S. Highway 50 West.
Capt. Bob Cynova with the Jefferson City Police Department said Wednesday that 38-year-old Dwashan P. Thompson, Jefferson City, was arrested at about 10:45 a.m. when she was pulled over near the Jamestown exit on U.S. 50 West.
The Cole County prosecutor filed charges against Thompson early Wednesday evening. She is charged with first-degree robbery in Tuesday's Hawthorn Bank holdup and with second-degree robbery in last week's Missouri Credit Union robbery.
Jefferson City police officers, Cole County Sheriff's deputies, Missouri Highway Patrol troopers and FBI agents worked in a joint effort to bring Thompson into custody.
Thompson was driving a vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle used Tuesday night when an unidentified individual pulled up to the drive-through window at Hawthorn Bank on West Truman Boulevard, demanding money from the teller and escaping with an undisclosed amount.
After her arrest, Thompson was taken to the Jefferson City Police Department for questioning. From the information gathered during the interview, officers were also able to arrest her for the Dec. 20 robbery of the Missouri Credit Union on West Edgewood Drive.
While searching her house and vehicle, officers found evidence that linked her to both incidents.
Tuesday's robbery brings the total number of bank robberies in 2010 to three in Jefferson City and four in the Mid-Missouri area.
Cynova said that while it might seem like there has been a dramatic increase in the number of incidents recently, that is based partly on the lack of incidents prior to this year.
"Bank robberies are going to go up something like 200 percent because we've had these two," Cynova said. "When you went with one for the rest of the year and then, all of a sudden, you get two."