UPDATED: Accused Cloverdale armed robber identified

UPDATE -- 8:15 a.m. Tuesday -- The man accused of holding the clerk of the Cloverdale Marathon station at knifepoint Monday evening has been identified.

Cloverdale Police say they arrived on the scene of a robbery in progress call to find Donovan Jackson, 46, Poland, behind the cashier counter wielding a knife.

Jackson was subsequently subdued and taken to Putnam County Hospital and then Putnam County Jail.

He was preliminarily charged with armed robbery, criminal confinement, criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement.

CLOVERDALE — A stickup or a cry for help?

Regardless of a Cataract area man’s intentions early Monday evening, he found himself facing felony charges following an incident at a downtown Cloverdale gas station.

At 5:27 p.m., area police were dispatched to the Marathon station at 1 S. Main St., Cloverdale, for an armed robbery in progress.

Cloverdale Town Marshal Steve Hibler and Deputy Marshal Logan Clark responded, soon followed by Deputy Bobby Boyd of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.

Upon entering the front door, Hibler observed a male behind the counter, as well as the female attendant on the phone.

Displaying a knife, the man requested that the officers kill him.

With Hibler and Boyd coming in the front door, Clark entered from the back. When the suspect moved toward the sound of Clark’s voice, the officers were able to fire a taser in an attempt to subdue him.

With one taser prong in, they were able to fire two more and then take him into custody without further incident.

Putnam County Operation Life and the Cloverdale Fire Department also responded to call and were able to help with removal of the taser prongs.

The man, whose has not been identified at this time, remained at Putnam County Hospital as of 8:20 p.m.

His identity will be released once he is booked in the Putnam County Jail.

It’s unclear if the man even attempted to take any money from the gas station. The clerk told officers that he simply came in and told her to call 911. Asked what she should tell dispatch, the man reportedly said, “Tell them it’s a holdup.”

Hibler said the man’s motives remain unclear.

“We’re really not sure what was going on,” Hibler said. “We’re going to charge him with armed robbery and resisting arrest.”