Colleen Watkins

An Alabama woman accused of driving a bank robbery suspect away from a heist at a Bowling Green branch of Citizens First Bank had her case sent to a grand jury Friday.

Colleen Sue Watkins, 53, of Florala, Ala., appeared for a preliminary hearing in Warren District Court.

Watkins was arrested Tuesday in Sumner County, Tenn., on a charge of first-degree robbery in connection with the incident earlier that day at the Campbell Lane branch of Citizens First.

She is in Warren County Regional Jail under a $100,000 cash bond.

Detective Jared Merriss of the Bowling Green Police Department testified at Friday’s hearing that he interviewed Watkins on multiple occasions after she was taken into custody.

Merriss said Watkins said she was traveling with a man from Alabama to Louisville to visit a family member and they had run out of money. Watkins told Merriss that the man, who police later identified as Eddy Roger Connor, 58, of Florida, said he would address their lack of funds by robbing a bank, Merriss testified.

At some point, Merriss asked Watkins why she did not try to leave Connor after hearing his plan.

“She said he’s been abusive to her and she was fearful of him,” Merriss said. “She said he told her someone was watching her and would hurt her if she left. She basically ended up saying she didn’t think it was true because they didn’t know anybody here.”

As part of the robbery plot, Watkins said she was instructed to sit in the red van and act as though she were talking on a cellphone, Merriss said.

The robbery was carried out without the use of a weapon, and law enforcement later found a bank bag with approximately $16,000 in cash and $200,000 in checks in the vehicle.

Though no firearm was displayed by the robber, Watkins told police that the robber had a gun and had seen it, Merriss said.

A group of bystanders behind Regina Webb Salon who were on their break noticed a man run from the bank and get into the red van, Merriss said.

Neighboring law enforcement agencies were notified of the vehicle, and it was spotted soon after the robbery by a Franklin Police Department officer who attempted to make a stop. The van continued on but was stopped a short time later near Cottontown, Tenn., after police disabled the vehicle with spike strips.

Watkins was arrested, but Connor ran from the scene and evaded custody.

Connor was found dead Wednesday at a Cottontown house. Police believe Connor had broken into the house and engaged in a gunfight with the homeowner, who was also killed in the encounter.

— Follow courts reporter Justin Story on Twitter @jstorydailynews or visit bgdailynews.com.