BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON -- Two teen-agers will face trial as adults for their alleged involvement in three robberies, including the April armed holdup of a Taylor Mill pawn shop.
A Kenton County grand jury on Friday indicted Brandon Crouthers, 16, and Matthew Johnson, 17, moving the cases against them from juvenile to circuit court.They also were indicted for the March robbery of the Community Liquor Store in Nicholson and another Covington holdup.
The alleged getaway driver in the Quick Cash robbery, Travis Evans, 18, of Erlanger, also was indicted.
All are former students at Simon Kenton High School in Independence. They are set to appear in court July 20 before Circuit Judge Steven Jaeger.
Matthew and Brandon, allegedly brandishing pistols and wearing black clothing and black ski masks, went into the Quick Cash and demanded money, police said.
Clerk George Waters faked a heart attack and fell behind the counter so he could grab his loaded .45-caliber handgun. Matthew was armed, police said, with a BB gun, but it was designed to look like a large-caliber semiautomatic pistol.
Matthew was the critically injured when the pawn shop clerk fired shots. He has since been released from the hospital. Brandon also was hit by gunfire, but he was released to detention the day after the robbery.
Kentucky law requires anyone 14 or older who commits a felony with a handgun to be tried as an adult.
