Court documents filed in connection with Tuesday’s armed robbery at the Kwik Star in Oskaloosa paint a detailed picture of how the incident unfolded — from the robbery itself to the crash, the foot chase, and the arrest of all four suspects.
As previously reported by Ottumwa Radio, four Des Moines residents — Cory Hale Jr., 26, Donavon Surrette, 24, Eugene Hale, 19, and Kayla Rupp, 28 — have been charged in connection with the robbery. All four are currently being held without bond.
The Robbery
At approximately 10:58 a.m. on August 11th, the Mahaska County Law Center received a call reporting a robbery at the Kwik Star at 1510 A Avenue West in Oskaloosa. The caller reported that several males had entered the store wearing masks and carrying a handgun. According to court documents, Kwik Star surveillance video confirmed that three men entered the store displaying a handgun and took money from a victim who was in the process of loading an ATM. The suspects then fled the scene in a black Chevrolet Trax — which court documents indicate belonged to the victim, and is valued at more than $10,000.
The Crash and Foot Chase
At approximately 11:03 a.m. — just five minutes after the initial robbery call — the law center received a second call reporting that the Chevrolet Trax had struck a pole at the intersection of Ford Avenue and Highway 92. The caller reported that three males jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot to the north, carrying bags. Law enforcement established a perimeter around the area and deployed a drone over a nearby cornfield. All three suspects — identified as Cory Hale Jr., Donavon Surrette, and Eugene Hale — were located in the field and taken into custody.
Kayla Rupp’s Role
Shortly after the crash, a suspicious vehicle was reported north of the accident location. The driver was identified as Kayla Rupp. Surveillance camera footage showed Rupp’s vehicle dropping off three subjects near the Kwik Star prior to the robbery. When officers searched her vehicle, they found evidence connecting it to the robbery as well as drugs — a ziplock bag containing green plant material was located in the glove box following a positive alert by a certified narcotics detection K-9 from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Court documents state that Rupp aided and abetted the three men by driving them to the Kwik Star and dropping them off.
