Myrtle Beach police arrest suspect after armed robbery on Ocean Boulevard

Myrtle Beach police arrested a man Tuesday after he fled in a vehicle from officers.

Ricky Lee Bender Jr., 30, of Blountville, Tennessee has been charged with two counts of failure to stop for blue light, driving without a license, possession of stolen goods, reckless driving, possession of a stolen vehicle, first-degree assault and battery, and attempted armed robbery, said Lt. Joey Crosby, spokesman for the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

Police said Bender fled after officers tried to stop a car believed to be connected with an armed robbery earlier Tuesday afternoon at the 3 Palms Oceanfront Hotel on Ocean Boulevard South, according to Lt. Joey Crosby. Bender

Crosby said police were responding to an armed robbery call about 3:18 p.m. when officers encountered a vehicle matching the description given by the victim. The car’s driver failed to stop for blue lights, and a chase ensued, Crosby said.

The chase lasted about 20 minutes and continued along streets that included Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway, until police stopped the car on South Kings Highway at the former location of J. Edwards Restaurant,

No one was hurt during the robbery or the chase, police said.

Bender’s picture was not yet on the Myrtle Beach police website, but will be available sometime on Wednesday, Crosby said.

Please check back for updates.

This story was originally published April 21, 2015 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach police arrest suspect after armed robbery on Ocean Boulevard."