Series of robberies and attempts lands out-of-state couple in jail in Sequoyah County

A Wilson, North Carolina man is facing multiple charges after a crime spree that started in Van Buren and ended when he was arrested in Sallisaw by Sequoyah County deputies and officers from the Sallisaw Police Department.

Thirty-seven year-old Christopher Columbus Parker, is facing charges including Sexual Battery, Armed Robbery, First Degree Robbery, Robbery or Attempted Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Assault on an Elderly Person, Transporting Stolen Property Across State Lines, and Receive, Possess or Conceal Stolen Property.

This charges are in addition to charges resulting from holds the Sallisaw and Van Buren Police Department placed on Parker.

Police say Parker accosted an elderly man i the parking lot of a motel adjacent to the Cherokee Casino in Roland at just after 2 am Sunday. Parker pulled a knife a knife and demanded money from the victim, who was trying to check-in at the motel.

\While being chased by Parker the victim fell, at which time Parker proceed to rummage through his luggage. The victim then threw money at Parker in an effort to get him to leave him alone.

Parker and a female passenger then fled on Interstate 40 and a second report came in of an attempted robbery at the westbound rest area near Sallisaw on the Oklahoma side of the Arkansas/Oklahoma border. Parker attempted to rob a Tennessee family at the rest area with a knife, but a male was able to get a gun from the vehicle and Parker fled west on I40 again. Parker hut a curb and damaged his vehicle while making his getaway.

Police later spotted a man sitting on the ground and attempting to fix the bumper of a vehicle identified as being involved in both robbery attempts. Parker identified himself as "Chris" and referenced he was with Black Life Matters. During the arrest he asked officers how long they have "been wrangling slaves".

During the search officers discovered an eight inch knife on Parker after he told them he didn't have a weapon. Parker also made several more references to slavery and told officers he didn't understand his rights because he had attended a "subpar American school".

The passenger, Ashley Blevins of Tennessee, also had a felony warrant from another state. Parker had identified the woman as his wife but she denied a relationship and said she was a prostitute and " she decided to go with him". She was also arrested for the parole violation out of Wisconsin.

During the search of the vehicle, items including a credit card, driver's license and various tools were located that were later identified as items taken from a residence in Van Buren. During the incident, officers had learn Parker was wanted out of Van Burren for theft charges.

Van Buren also put a hold on Blevins, and both suspects remain in the Sequoyah County Detention Center as of 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.