Fellsmere bank robber thwarted following high-speed pursuit ending in car crash
(iThink Financial Bank, Image credit: Fellsmere Police Department)
On January 25, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO) headquartered in Vero Beach, Florida, reported on a bank robbery and a police chase that started out in the city of Fellsmere and ended up in nearby St. Lucie County. Just after 10 a.m. yesterday, a robbery alarm rang out at the iThink Financial Bank located at 56 N. Broadway Street in Fellsmere. As Fellsmere Police Officers and Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the alarm, it was confirmed that the bank was actively being robbed.
A white male bank robber fled the scene in a Mazda Miata, leading deputies on a high-speed pursuit. Deputies pursued the suspect into St. Lucie County. Those deputies reported at the time that they were confident the bank robber would not make good his escape.
IRCSO deputies, dispatch and their Real Time Crime Center coordinated with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol who also actively pursued the suspect. The driver of the getaway car crashed into another vehicle within St. Lucie County at the intersection of S. 13th Street and Georgia Avenue.
There were no significant injuries to the other driver. Deputies reported the bank robber’s condition to be stable following the car crash. Later in the day yesterday, the Sherriff’s Office identified the bank robber as 44-year-old David Abram Ziesel, of Port St. Lucie.
“Ziesel is no stranger to the law with an extensive criminal history and is currently on federal probation for……wait for it……armed bank robbery out of Ohio in a 2019 incident.” ~ IRCSO
The Sheriff’s Office said that Ziesel will be charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding in addition to the bank robbery charges from the Fellsmere Police Department.
The iThink Financial Bank that got held up yesterday is located two blocks to the east of Fellsmere Elementary School. The school was placed on “lockdown” immediately once the robbery was confirmed and an SRO was on site. The bank remained closed for the rest of the day.
Following Ziesel’s arrest, the Fellsmere Police Department reported that no bank personnel were harmed during the robbery and the bank bandit did not display a weapon during the robbery.
–
(Sources: Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and the Fellsmere Police Department)
(Cover photo of David Abram Ziese and seized cash, Image credit: IRCSO)
Check out some of Ace News Today’s “Most Popular” posts. See below.
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
