Marysville teen faces adult trial in heist

MARYSVILLE — The teenager police believe wore a Halloween mask during a Marysville bank robbery Wednesday will likely be tried as an adult, Snohomish County prosecutors said.

Erik Nelson, 17, of Marysville was ordered held Thursday on $25,000 bail by Snohomish County Superior Court Judge David Kurtz. Nelson was booked into the Denney Juvenile Justice Center on Wednesday for investigation of first-degree robbery.

Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, police allege Nelson held up the Wells Fargo branch at 10010 Shoultes Road. Wearing a mask from the “Saw” horror movies and carrying a pellet gun, Nelson allegedly ordered patrons to the ground, demanded money from the tellers and then fled on a bicycle, Marysville police spokesman R.A. “Bob” Dolhanyk Jr. said.

Nelson rode his bike to a green Jeep Cherokee parked nearby, threw the bike in the back, then drove to his home, about a mile away.

Workmen in the area pointed police to the house where the teenager hid for about two hours before surrendering to a SWAT team, Dolhanyk said.

A person who answered the door at the tan split-level home Thursday declined to talk to a reporter.

Neighbor Sara Dye, 18, said Thursday she wasn’t too concerned about the standoff that unfolded the previous day across the street from her home.

A heavily armed police sharpshooter dressed in full camouflage kept watch on Nelson’s home from Dye’s living room during the standoff, she said.

“I wasn’t really scared because they were doing their job, and if they’re doing their job then I know I’m OK,” she said.

Despite being close to Nelson’s age, Dye said she didn’t know much about the teenager who moved in across the street a year ago.

Police recovered all the money that was stolen, but wouldn’t say how much was taken, Dolhanyk said.

Although officers at first believed there might have been two suspects in the robbery, they now believe Nelson acted alone, he said.

Herald writer Jim Haley contributed to this report.