Skip to main content

Gas station robber enters guilty plea in County Court

By Howard B. Owens

Edward Wood

Justice has been swift for Edward Wood III.

When he robbed the Sunoco gas station on West Main Street on Jan. 21, police had him in custody three minutes after being dispatched to the scene.

Today, less than a month after the robbery, the 21-year-old Batavia resident who used an Airsoft gun in the commission of his crime, admitted his guilt before Judge Robert C. Noonan.

Wood entered a guilty plea to attempted robbery, 2nd, a slightly reduced charge from the original count of robbery in the second degree, menacing, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. The plea also satisfies two pending, unrelated misdemeanor charges.

While the plea still exposes Wood up to a potential seven years in prison, the reduced charge -- since he has no prior felony conviction -- also leaves open the possibility of a probationary sentence.

Sentencing will be March 12.

He remains jailed on $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.

Steve Hackett

I am on the fence with this one. He has an awful lot to prove to society and himself. We all were young and did stupid things , but this exceeded that by a stretch. We will have to see how judge noonan feels about it. Will he be a career criminal ???? Or, did he make a really stupid mistake and hopefully become a productive member of society???Time tells all!

Feb 14, 2014, 9:01pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

He lucky to be living. Police dont need to distinguish an airsoft gun from a real one. Had he still had it in his hand he could have been gunned down like others have.

Feb 14, 2014, 9:25pm Permalink
Steve Hackett

Batavia.... Guns, drugs, gangs, bank robberies, gunned down, animal abuse...My dad died in 1974 and he just rolled over in his grave ...

Feb 14, 2014, 9:36pm Permalink

Authentically Local