PITTSBURGH -- A wild police chase along Route 28 -- stretching from Pittsburgh's northern suburbs into the city -- ended with a bank robbery suspect's arrest at the height of rush-hour Friday.
A police cruiser flipped onto its side during the pursuit, which eventually ended on the 31st Street Bridge when dozens of police officers converged to arrest a man and a woman.
Police identified the driver as John McAleavey, 36, of Pittsburgh, and said officers transported him to Allegheny General Hospital for a medical evaluation.
In addition to the driver who was arrested, police said a woman was also arrested. She is identified by police as Meghan Jaeger, 21, of Ohio.
McAleavey and Jaeger are facing numerous charges including aggravated assault, robbery, reckless endangerment of another person, receiving stolen property, fleeing and eluding police and hit-and-run. Jaeger will face a conspiracy charge.
Tires Blown Out, Police Cruiser Overturns During Chase
The Saturn Vue involved in the pursuit was seen squeezing between dozens of vehicles on Route 28, narrowly avoiding collisions as he drove through afternoon rush-hour traffic at about 6:15 p.m.
Running into a traffic jam on an overpass near Etna, the car temporarily stopped. Officers approached with guns drawn, but the driver was slowly able to work his way through the congestion and took off again.
Police spike sticks were thrown down on the road. The car drove over them but continued ahead with blown tires.
Eventually, the car turned onto the 31st Street Bridge, where it finally slowed down and got cornered by about six police vehicles.
Sky 4 video showed several officers pulling the driver out of the car and repeatedly striking him before taking him into custody.
"Police showed a lot of restraint by not firing any shots," Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper said.
During the chase, a police car pulled alongside the suspect's vehicle and rammed its left side. The police car then went off the road, hitting some brush along the shoulder and flipping over. The officer was not believed to be seriously hurt.
Officials said the plate on the silver minivan was stolen from a vehicle in the Banksville area on Thursday. Police said the money from the bank robbery was recovered from the minivan.
Watch the Pittsburgh Police Press ConferencePittsburgh's police chief said the driver and a passenger were suspects in a bank robbery at a National City Bank, at a press conference after 11 p.m. Friday. Witnesses told police the robbery suspect was wearing a black wig and fled in a silver minivan.
Police said the chase involved speeds of as much as 80 mph through parts of Millvale, Eta, and Sharpsburg.
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