Police from various agencies gather on I-80/94 at the 19 mile marker in Portage, Ind. Friday April 20, 2012. An alleged bank robber was pursued from LaPorte County to past the Illinois state line by multiple police agencies. The alleged robber tossed money and clothing out the window along the highway. Some of the money was collected by passing motorists. (Credit: Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media)
CHICAGO (CBS) — A bank robbery suspect who led police on a two state, high-speed chase Friday afternoon — at one point throwing money out the window of his escape vehicle — was taken into custody in west suburban Elburn.
The chase started in Northwest Indiana and moved 100 miles west into Kane County in Illinois, where the suspect resides.
The FBI says an armed man held up the Laporte Savings Bank in LaPorte County, Ind. and took off, driving through Michigan City and Portage along I-80/94.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Nancy Harty reports
Callers to the WBBM Newstip hotline say they saw someone throwing money out of a vehicle along 80/94 and people getting out of their cars to pick up money.
The flying bills had police on a rush-hour scavenger hunt as commuters tried to get home.
Marissa Villarrubia took a picture of stolen bank money she returned to authorities on Friday. (Marissa Villarrubia/InstaGram)
Marissa Villarrubia of Romeoville was on her way to a volleyball tournament with her team in Michigan when she landed on a jackpot that was hers only briefly. The teammates scooped up about $3,000 but turned it over to authorities.
“It was almost like out of a movie,” she said. “You don’t just see money flying around like that It was definitely a temptation but we didn’t keep any.”
Kane County authorities eventually intercepted the suspect. The driver stopped after turning onto Oakwood Drive off Hughes Road near Elburn and fled on food. He ran through several backyards and into an open garage before he was taken into custody, the Kane County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
“I was a little bit scared. I’ve never seen so many guns,” neighbor Nora Murphy told CBS 2’s Brad Edwards.
David Ziesel, 32, of Elburn, was turned over to LaPorte County authorities and was charged with aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer and resisting a peace officer, Kane County said.
Ziesel reportedly wanted to say goodbye to his wife as he was hauled away. One police official said that wish wasn’t granted because of all of the lives he put in danger Friday.
