Orange County bank robber crashes stolen taxi after high-speed chase

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A bank robbery suspect who crashed a stolen taxi in Santa Ana after allegedly robbing a bank in Westminster and leading police on a chase Friday was identified by the FBI as the "Cal Bear Bandit," linked to multiple bank robberies in Orange County since August.

Westminster Police said a bank robbery suspect took a taxi-van to a U.S. Bank branch located at 15550 Brookhurst Street in Westminster Friday afternoon.

The suspect went inside, handed a demand note to a teller, then exited the bank and got back in the taxi. The taxi driver was unaware of what had happened inside, police said.

Witnesses gave police a description of the cab and its identification number.

Police caught up to the cab and pulled it over. When the cab driver got out of the taxi minivan, the suspect jumped into the driver seat and drove away, leading police on a high-speed pursuit.

The suspect drove into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into another vehicle on Edinger Avenue just west of Fairview Street in Santa Ana. He got out and ran but was tackled by a Westminster police officer and taken into custody. The suspect was not injured.

Other vehicles were involved in the collision. Two women and a small child were hospitalized with moderate injuries, according to police. No one was seriously hurt.

The suspect was later identified as Irvine resident Justin Hayes, 27.

Cash inside the cab was recovered by officers.

FBI investigators responded to Friday's robbery. The suspect could face federal charges.

Hayes was booked at Orange County Jail on charges of bank robbery, felony evading, and auto theft. Hayes is suspected of numerous bank robberies throughout the L.A. and Orange County area, Westminster Police said.