Gaylord bank robbery suspect arraigned on charges

GAYLORD — A 54-year-old Northern Michigan man faces charges in connection with the robbery of a bank in Gaylord on Tuesday morning.

Bobby Joe Zollman allegedly went into the Huntington Bank branch on East Main Street and presented a teller with a note demanding cash and claiming he had a firearm, according to Gaylord Police Chief Frank Claeys.

After receiving cash from the teller drawer, he left the building and got into a pickup truck and drove to Crawford County where he was arrested by law enforcement officers.

"Our department learned of his identity and tracked down where he was heading. We advised Crawford County and they located him about a mile before he got to a residence," Claeys said.

Claeys said there were no injuries.

On Wednesday, Zollman appeared before Judge Michael Cooper in Otsego County Circuit Court facing armed robbery and bank robbery charges. A pending misdemeanor charge of defrauding an innkeeper is likely to be dropped.

Not guilty pleas were entered on behalf of Zollman and Cooper set bail at $50,000 cash. Zollman was remanded to the Otsego County Jail.

— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.