Josephine County, OR – Two store employees in Merlin were hospitalized Tuesday morning after an alleged robbery and assault at the Dollar General on Merlin Road, according to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies reported responding to the scene around 8:40 a.m., where they took 72-year-old Mark Warren Whidden into custody. Authorities said detailed witness descriptions allowed deputies to locate the suspect quickly without further incident.
According to investigators, Whidden allegedly approached the store counter, announced a robbery, and threw a cup of muriatic acid at two employees. Both victims sustained severe chemical burns while attempting to escape to a restroom to decontaminate.
Officials said Whidden then allegedly cornered the employees with a knife, attempting to assault them further. Deputies reported that when Whidden was arrested, he was still in possession of both the acid and the knife.
The Oregon State Police, AMR, and Rural Metro assisted at the scene. The two injured employees were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of chemical burns.
Whidden was booked into the Josephine County Jail on charges including robbery in the first degree, assault in the first degree, unlawful use of a weapon, and menacing. Authorities emphasized the investigation remains active.
