2 hurt including suspect in car crashes after bank robbery

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A bank robbery on Western Boulevard turned into two different crashes Friday morning on Jones Sausage Road in Raleigh.

The suspect handed a note to the teller, then made off with the cash, according to Raleigh Police.

Minutes later, the suspect vehicle, a black Audi sedan, was spotted by a state trooper on I-40.

The suspect and vehicle description were immediately broadcast over our radio channels, and notification was made to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol shortly after this information was disseminated," said Lt. David Davis of the Raleigh Police Department.

The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Ishmael Aviv Santiago, sped past the ramp, crossing the grass median and slamming into a silver car. The impact set off a chain reaction when one car stopped suddenly, and another couldn't slow down.

First responders cut Santiago's seatbelt and pulled him from the car,

Santiago and the driver of the silver car were injured and taken to a hospital for treatment. Their conditions were not immediately known.

Chopper 11 flew over the scene that showed a massive police response and numerous cars with damage, including a Raleigh police SUV. No law enforcement officers were injured.

"There's going to be some time before we can get a search warrant and time to be able to look through that vehicle to find out what was in that vehicle," Davis said of Santiago's car. "I can confirm that the GPS trackers are located inside that vehicle."

Santiago has multiple outstanding warrants, including for domestic violence.

The bank robbery took place at a Wells Fargo on Western Boulevard.

Wells Fargo is aware of the recent incident. There were no reported injuries, all customers and employees are safe," a Wells Fargo spokesperson said in a statement to ABC11. "We are fully cooperating with the authorities as their investigation continues."

There is no word yet on whether any money or evidence has been recovered.

Traffic was diverted for hours on the affected stretch of Jones Sausage Road. The roads reopened on Friday afternoon.

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