Chase Ends in Arrest of Driver Who Allegedly Tried to Hit 4 Pedestrians

A 23-year-old Fullerton man was arrested after a high-speed chase Saturday that began when a police officer saw a driver “deliberately” attempt to run down four people on a sidewalk near Cal State Fullerton, police said.

Further investigation showed that the suspect, Joe Henry Bankhead, also was wanted by Cal State Fullerton campus police as a suspect in the rape of a 17-year-old female, Fullerton Police Sgt. Gary Miller said.

Bankhead was booked at Fullerton City Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, trying to elude a police officer and reckless driving. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, Miller said.

The chase began about 1 a.m. near State College Boulevard and Chapman Avenue when a patrol officer saw a motorist attempt to run over four pedestrians, slightly injuring one of them, Miller said.

The Fullerton officer, joined by California Highway Patrol cars, chased the suspect into Los Angeles, where the driver lost control and came to a stop near the Harbor Freeway’s Martin Luther King Boulevard exit, Miller said.