The man who led police on a wild 90-minute pursuit that ended Thursday when he flew off a freeway embankment is the suspected "Hills Bandit," wanted in a series of bank robberies from Santa Barbara to Orange County, police said.
Stephen Richard Bartlett, 53, was arrested after the pursuit ended at 1 p.m. off the 210 Freeway in Rialto, police said.
He led police on a pursuit after allegedly stealing $12,000 in steel from a commercial business in Santa Fe Springs, police said.
He sped up to 85 mph along Southern California freeways -- at some points in opposing lanes of traffic -- before flying off an embankment, climbing out of the upended truck and surrendering to police, officials said.
When asked by NBC4 whether he was trying to hurt anyone, he said, "Of course I didn't want to hurt anybody," he said while sitting in the back of a police car, his neck in a brace.
All lanes on the westbound 210 Freeway were closed as authorities took the suspect into custody and handled the crash.
The wild pursuit wound through the cities of Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, La Habra and Brea. At one point, he allegedly threw what appeared to be a gun from the truck, but which turned out to be a replica gun, Whittier police said in a statement.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
At another point during the chase, the suspect stopped his car on the shoulder of a freeway in opposing lanes and tried to scale a fence, but when he saw police, he got back into the truck and made a U-turn on the freeway.
The truck crashed into a car when a CHP patrol vehicle appeared to crash into the back of the truck.
The suspect was treated at a hospital for minor injuries before being he was expected to be booked into jail.
He faces charges including, felony theft, felony evading, felony vehicle embezzlement, two hit and run collisions and numerous warrants including bank robbery, police said.
Authorities say they believe Bartlett is the so-called Hills Bandit who's robbed more than a half-dozen banks in San Diego and Orange counties since May.
If convicted of all crimes, Bartlett could be senetenced to more than 100 years in prison, according to an NBC4 report.
Bartlett is expected to be turned over to the FBI Friday.
Andrew Lopez, Gadi Schwartz and Rosa Ordaz contributed to this report.
