Pair Pleads Not Guilty To Armored-Car Heist, Attempted Murder Of Guard

SONOMA COUNTY, CA – Two men pleaded not guilty in Sonoma County Superior Court this morning to robbing an armored car outside a Windsor bank and trying to kill a car guard in July.

Sergey Gutsu, 24, from Antelope, and Ivan Morales, 23, of Lakeport, are charged with two counts of robbery and one count of attempted murder with enhancements alleging intentional discharge of a firearm causing
great bodily injury.

The defendants allegedly shot the guard outside the Chase Bank in the Lakewood Shopping Center at 9018 Brooks Road South around 1:50 p.m. on July 12 and fled to Calistoga with money in a blue Chevrolet Suburban.

Gutsu allegedly got out of the Chevrolet during a lengthy pursuit and fired a shot at Calistoga police officer Luis Paniagua, who then rammed Gutsu with his patrol car, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.
Morales ran from the Chevrolet and hid, prompting a shelter in place as members of several law enforcement agencies searched for him.

Morales was found hiding in a bushy culvert around 7 p.m. Gutsu and Morales are believed to be responsible for an armored car robbery in Granada Hills in March and a robbery and homicide in San Dimas
in June 2015.

Both men are being held under no bail in Sonoma County Jail, and a date for their preliminary hearing will be set on Sept. 2.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys said this morning they are still gathering and exchanging information about the case, and they did not know the condition of the guard who was shot.

Previous coverage:

• JUST IN: Armed Robber Reportedly On Foot In Calistoga Area
• Calistoga Residents Told To Shelter In Place As Hunt On For Windsor Bank Robber: Deputies
• UPDATED: Second Suspect Caught in Armed Robbery, Shooting
• Windsor Armed Vehicle Robbery Suspects Are Named

Also see: Does She Look Familiar? Woman Linked To Handbag Stolen From Supermarket: Police

--Bay City News/July 2016 image via Sonoma Co. Sheriff