Bond was denied Wednesday afternoon for a man accused of breaking into an  Effingham County hotel and assaulting the night clerk in a robbery attempt.

According to Effingham County Sheriff’s Office reports, Michael Pollett, 25, of Rincon, broke into the Microtel on Highway 21 around 4 a.m. Tuesday. Pollett entered the hotel through an unsecured door.

Armed with a knife and a stun gun, Pollett went around the front counter and approached the night clerk in her office from behind.

The hotel’s video surveillance cameras showed Pollett, trying to conceal his identity from the cameras, approach the clerk and assault her.

“She was unaware he was there,” said ECSO Detective David Ehsanipoor. “He walked up behind her and used the stun gun several times on her face.”

Almost immediately after the robbery, the night clerk called 911.

Pollett fled with an undetermined amount of money, and ECSO deputies soon saturated the area and went through Westwood Heights subdivision. Two ECSO deputies, Cpl. Shearouse and Deputy Sanchez, spotted Pollett 45 minutes later in Westwood Heights.

“They approached him and detained him very quickly when they spotted him,” said Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie.

Pollett surrendered without a struggle. He was found with the knife, stun gun and a large amount of cash.

Pollett may have known which door to enter and where the video cameras were because he was a former employee, according to reports.

“He knew the motel,” Ehsanipoor said. “He knew the layout of the motel. The way he was covered up, he knew he was under video surveillance.”

Pollett has been charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime. The victim was taken to an area hospital where she was treated for non life-threatening injuries.

Pollett is currently being held in the Effingham County Jail and had been recently released from prison on a burglary charge.