Alleged Bank Robber Free On Bail

Investigators used discarded clothes, an insurance ID card and the demand note used in a bank robbery to find the man police believe held up El Paseo Bank north of Palm Desert last month.

Tyson Michael Kohut, 37, of Thousand Palms surrendered himself into custody on Dec. 2 after detectives to the public days earlier, according to Deputy Angel Ramos of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Kohut pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of robbery and is due back in court on Dec. 27 for a felony settlement conference. He was released on $25,000 bail on Dec. 2.

He is accused of giving a demand note to a teller the bank on Washington Street north of Interstate 10 before taking the cash and fleeing, according to the sheriff's department.

No one was injured in the robbery.

About an hour later, detectives from the Indio Sheriff's Station found the robber's clothes discarded at a nearby home, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant written by Investigator Matt Diaz.

Inside the clothing, detectives found an insurance card with the name of Tyson Kohut on it, Diaz wrote.

Two search warrants, one at Kohut's home, led to the discovery of the demand note, the investigator said.

Two people were also able to identify Kohut based on his photograph, according to Diaz.