Robbery suspects impersonated police

Detectives continue to investigate links between a home-invasion robbery Monday in which the suspects impersonated police and a double shooting at the same house less than six hours later.

Sheriff's officials said Tuesday the men who robbed the Todd Road home employed an increasingly common tactic for home-invasion crimes. The three robbers, described by authorities as men in their 40s, reportedly wore T-shirts and jackets identifying themselves as sheriff and police officials.

"We're assuming their intent was to impersonate law enforcement," said sheriff's Sgt. Glen Lawrence.

Whether the robbers are connected to the later violence that sent three men to local hospitals and left an SUV riddled with bullet holes is part of the ongoing investigation, Lawrence said.

No arrests have been made in the robbery, but two of the men wounded Monday night were arrested, officials said Tuesday. A third man wounded in the shooting has not been arrested.

Deputies on Tuesday arrested Rick Varni, 29, of Santa Rosa and Russell Daniels, 22, of Vallejo, Sgt. Tim Duke reported.

Varni was arrested on suspicion of threats to commit a crime resulting in death or great bodily injury and assault with a gun.

Varni was out on $30,000 bail late Tuesday afternoon. He had been in custody at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center throughout the day while he received treatment for multiple gunshot wounds.

According to his MySpace page, Varni has been a longtime student at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Daniels was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and assault with a deadly weapon.

During Monday night's violence, Daniels was hit in the head with a blunt instrument, officials said. He was arrested after being treated for his injuries and also was released on $30,000 bail Tuesday afternoon.

Detectives said Varni and Daniels arrived at the Todd Road house of acquaintances about 7:40 p.m. Monday.

Investigators believe that at least one of them fired at a man in the home and wounded him.

A resident called for help at 7:42 p.m. Monday, saying someone had been shot and the shooter was still at the house, Duke reported.

Deputies found one man at the house with a gunshot wound to his right forearm. He was taken by ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and has not been identified.

Witnesses told deputies they saw two men flee the house southwest of Santa Rosa in a black Lincoln sport utility vehicle.

Deputies tracked the men to Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa, where they'd gone for medical treatment. The SUV was found at the hospital, riddled with bullet holes and spattered with blood.

Following interviews and investigation, including three search warrants served at three locations, detectives arrested Varni and Daniels, believing they had started the shooting.

About 2 p.m. Monday, deputies had gone to the same Todd Road home after residents said they had been the victims of a home-invasion robbery.

Three robbers, at least one of whom was carrying a handgun, reportedly took 30 marijuana plants. The intruders handcuffed two of the residents and wore clothing to impersonate police and sheriff officials.

Sheriff's officials are investigating whether Varni and Daniels were involved with the robbery, Lawrence said.

You can reach Staff Writer Laura Norton at 521-5220 or laura.norton@pressdemocrat.

com.