Police Chase Involving Bank Robbery Suspects Shuts Down Md. Highway

ROCKVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- A dramatic chain of events on a Maryland highway. Police shut down eight lanes of commuter traffic to try to catch a car full of bank robbers!

Jessica Kartalija explains how it all played out.

It was a horrendous traffic jam along I-270 in Montgomery County.

"It's just awful," said one.

It all started around 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Wells Fargo in Rockville's King Farm neighborhood. Two armed men entered the bank waving handguns and demanding money with a third suspect in a getaway car.

Then police made an unprecedented move: they completely blocked I-270 to try to stop the suspects.

With their guns drawn, officers went car by car, searching.

"A lot of yelling, a lot of orders being given, helicopters, dogs barking, a lot of sirens, police cars riding by," said eyewitness Carlton Higdon.

Higdon was in his gold Acura sedan when officers spotted the wanted trio in a silver Kia SUV.

"Just two cars behind me and they were right there. I could see it all. Saw one person get arrested and then the other one was next to my vehicle, just right there. Everything was right there. It was like a surreal moment," Higdon said.

Police say the suspects, fearing capture, tossed a wad of cash in the bed of a dump truck.

Police admit that shutting down all eight lanes of the highway was a risky move, but in the end, it worked.

One of the suspects was caught wearing a Prince George's County Public Works uniform, a job the county fired him from nearly three years ago.

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