OC Bank Robbery Suspect In Stolen Taxi Injures 3 Before Crashing Cab
WESTMINSTER (CBSLA.com) — A bank robbery suspect in a stolen taxi reportedly injured three motorists Friday during a wild chase through Orange County.
And Westminster police say this isn't his first heist.
Police suspect Irvine resident Justin Hayes, 27, is the "Cal Bear Bandit" — named for the California Republic ball-cap worn during earlier robberies — and tied to five bank holdups. He allegedly confessed to eight holdups, including Friday's heist.
He was arrested last Saturday for alleged check fraud and drug possession, and released because the O.C. District Attorney chose not to prosecute, according to jail records.
Investigators say Friday's bank robbery began with Hayes taking a Yellow Cab taxi and arriving around 3 p.m. at the U.S. Bank on Brookhurst Street in Westminster.
While he robbed the bank, the unsuspecting taxi driver waited for him in the parking lot, police said.
Hayes reportedly handed the teller a demand note and made off with an unspecified amount of cash.
A witness say the suspect got into the taxi and that person called police.
Officers arrived within two minutes, caught up to the cab and initiated a traffic stop. Meanwhile, the suspect went to hide in the backseat.
As the taxi driver spoke with police outside the vehicle, the suspect jumped over the front seat and drove off with the cab.
Westminster police gave chase down Edinger from the area of Miles Square Park, in Santa Ana, according to Sgt. Cameron Knauerhaze of the Westminster Police Department.
"The pursuit lasts only about three minutes. At one point, we lost sight of the suspect; He was driving reckless and fast," Knauerhaze said. "We got help from the Huntington Beach police helicopter. We were able to catch up with the suspect at this intersection, just as he collided with an oncoming motorist, as he tried to evade officers by going around traffic."
The suspect crashed head-on with a civilian driver around 4 p.m. at Fairview Street and Edinger Avenue, across from a high school that was just letting students out for the day.
The suspect ran away from the scene on foot and the first officer on scene was quickly able to tackle him.
The man was placed under arrest without incident. Officers found cash in the backseat of the taxi cab.
The three women inside the civilian vehicle were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.
