Two armed robbery suspects arrested during dramatic traffic stop on Vista Chino

Police arrested two armed robbery suspects Friday accused of shoplifting from the Palm Springs Walmart store on the 5600 block of East Ramon Road.

Officers surrounded the suspect’s white vehicle at approximately 2:43 p.m. on Vista Chino Drive just east of the intersection of Gene Autry Trail.

Police spokesman Harvey Reed said in a statement a high risk traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle and two suspects were taken into custody.

They were identified as Julio Roblero and an accomplice, Angela Spoonemore.

Reed said Roblero had been spottedshoplifting by a Walmart store employee minutes earlier.

But Spoonemore allegedly pulled a knife when that employee tried to place Roblero under citizen’s arrest.

Police said Roblero and Spoonemore escaped the store and drove off only to be spotted minutes later driving north on Gene Autry Trail.

The felony stop snarled traffic on Vista Chino eastbound near Gene Autry Trail as several police units blocked all lanes of travel.

A long line of motorists stopped to view the activity.

Palm Springs Police officers could be seen surrounding a car with guns drawn, and demanding the argumentative occupants exit the car.

Roblero yelled he couldn’t comply with officer orders complaining he had a back injury and was in pain.

He was taken into custody without further incident.

Four children belonging to the couple were also in the car at the time of the traffic stop.

They ranged in age from four, six, nine and 15.

Child Protective Services was contacted and took custody of all four children.

Roblero and Spoonemore were booked into the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

Both are facing a count of robbery and four counts of child endangerment.