By The Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. — A suspected bank robber being chased by police crossed into oncoming traffic and smashed head-on into another car, killing the suspect and the other driver, authorities said.
The suspect robbed a Bank of America branch at gunpoint early Wednesday afternoon and crashed 10 miles away, after leading police on a chase through several cities east of Phoenix, Tempe police Sgt. Mike Horn said.
The name of the suspect and the other driver killed in the crash were not immediately released.
Police believe the suspect may have been involved in three other attempted bank robberies -- on Nov. 20, Nov. 24 and Dec. 3. He was believed to have a firearm and police deemed him ''a very significant threat to the community.’'
The Arizona Department of Public Safety confirmed that two people were killed, and KNXV-TV 15 reported that the dead were the male drivers of each car.
The suspect’s sedan crossed into the opposing lane and crashed into a white car as police cruisers followed. The crumpled sedan flipped on its side as the oncoming white car ricocheted backward onto the side of the road.
At times during the chase, officers lost sight of the sedan. Authorities also put out ''stop sticks’’ in a failed attempt to deflate the sedan’s tires, said police spokesman Sgt. Tim Mason.
''We’ve done a lot today to try and bring this to a peaceful resolution,’' Mason said. ''Unfortunately, the suspect dictated otherwise.’'