Store Owner Fights Robber

By: Miranda Combs Email

Posted: Thu 7:22 PM, Dec 13, 2007

He's already battling cancer, but an Anderson County gas station owner recently found himself in another life-threatening battle while at work.

Police say Ronald Ray Hopkins walked into the Parkway Marathon, pulled out a gun on John Ellis, and demanded money.

But when Ellis says Hopkins threatened to shoot him, he fought back.

Since 1986, 59- year-old Ellis has owned the Marathon station in Anderson County. In all those years, he's never been a victim of a robbery, until Friday night, when Ellis says a man walked in with a ski mask and a shotgun. The masked man demanded money, and told Ellis he was going to kill him. Ellis, who is fighting colon cancer and undergoes weekly chemotherapy treatments, was forced outside and around back. Thats when he turned on the suspect, tackling him to the ground. Ellis managed to get his hands on the gun and fired it into the air, giving him a chance to run away. A short time later, police charged Ronald Ray Hopkins with the crime.

Hopkins is charged with robbery, kidnapping, tampering with physical evidence and alcohol intoxication.

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