Bank Robber Jacks Taxi, Leads Wild Chase Ending in Crash

A man allegedly robbed a bank in Westminster today and hailed a cab to make his getaway, then carjacked the taxi and led authorities on a chase that ended in a head-on crash in which a child and three other people were injured, authorities said.

The robbery happened about 3:10 p.m. at a U.S. Bank branch at 15555 Brookhurst St. The bandit, wearing a baseball cap with a Batman logo, handed a U.S. Bank teller a note announcing the stickup and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

The robber flagged down a taxi for his getaway, and when the driver got out, the suspect took the vehicle, according to Westminster police Sgt. Cameron Knauerhaze.

The suspect led police on a chase that ended in Santa Ana when the taxi collided with another vehicle on Fairview Street, just south of Edinger Avenue, according to Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

The suspect, who tried to run from the crash scene, was quickly taken into custody. His name was not immediately released.

Orange County Fire Authority paramedics were called to the scene at 3:25 p.m., Capt. Steve Concialdi said. Two victims were taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange and another was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, Concialdi said. A fourth person was taken to a hospital but declined treatment, he said.

The patients were believed to be a mother and her daughter, a child about 4 years old, and the woman’s sister, Concialdi said. Their injuries were considered moderate to serious, but none were life-threatening, he said.

-City News Service