LINCOLN Co., N.C.,None — A man robbed a Carolina Trust Bank near Lincolnton Thursday morning and then led police on a high-speed chase, officers said.
Officers said 54-year-old David Lutz walked into the bank at about 9 a.m. wearing a mask, and he told the teller he had a gun and demanded money.
Lutz then ran to a car parked at a church about 70 yards away, police said. A bystander said he saw bank security guards running after Lutz with their guns drawn.
• VIDEO: Man Arrested After Bank Robbery, High-Speed Chase
Lutz got in a Cadillac and sped away before the guards caught him, police said.
Another driver called 911 after seeing the Cadillac driving dangerously.
"I was trying to stay out of his way," the caller said. "He almost ran into the back of me. He passed me, ran around everything and ran through the light."
• VIDEO: Bystander Helps Police Catch Suspect
A few minutes later, a Mount Holly police officer who had heard scanner traffic about the incident saw a passing Cadillac matching the description. The officer, Sgt. Brian Reagan, turned on his sirens, but he said Lutz ignored them.
"He just didn't acknowledge me behind him," Reagan said.
Officers said Lutz drove at speeds above 100 mph and ran red lights during the chase.
"Off the side of the road, off the shoulder, back onto the road -- any type of maneuvers he could make to lose the officers that were behind him," Reagan said.
After about five minutes, the chase came to a halt when Lutz hit a parked trailer in Mount Holly and blew out a front tire, police said.
Police then arrested Lutz, who has a lengthy arrest record.
WSOC
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
