Pittsburgh police arrest Pizza Hut robbery suspect after chase, crash in Penn Hills

Pittsburgh police have charged a man with armed robbery at a restaurant in the city’s Bloomfield neighborhood. Police said they made the arrest Monday after a high-speed car chase that ended with the suspect crashing in Penn Hills.

Police said Jason Brian Fields, 44, of Penn Hills reached speeds of up to 80 mph while fleeing from them after Fields took cash in a holdup reported shortly before 6:30 p.m. at the Pizza Hut in the 4700 block of Baum Boulevard.

The restaurant cashier told investigators the suspect was holding a gun when he stole between $400 and $600 from the register and safe, according to a complaint filed by police.

The suspect jumped onto a counter to look into the safe and jumped down and left with the money when another man entered the restaurant, police said. That man called 911 to report the robbery, according to the complaint.

Officers spotted a Honda SUV matching the description of the getaway car near Pittsburgh’s Penn Avenue and Main Street and followed it toward the city’s Morningside neighborhood. When the suspect turned onto Allegheny River Boulevard at high speed, he drove into the opposing lane to get around bystander vehicles, and police broke off the pursuit and lost track of him, the complaint states.

A short time later, officers found the car crashed at Lincoln and Verona roads in Penn Hills, police said.

The cashier identified the driver, Fields, as the man who robbed the restaurant, according to the complaint.

Officers seized a large amount of cash from Fields as well as a gun that had been tossed under the car.

Police charged Fields with robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, terroristic threats, fleeing from police and reckless driving.

They learned he previously was convicted of stealing a vehicle, which makes it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

Fields was awaiting arraignment Tuesday morning.