Two New Haven men accused of robbing a Westport bank were arrested after leading officers on a car chase, colliding with at least two other cars after driving the wrong way on the Meritt Parkway and running into the woods Tuesday morning, according to police.
Carmello K. Dekane, 30, and Jermaine Cowan, 35, are each charged with two counts of second-degree robbery and two counts of fourth-degree larceny out of Westport. Dekane, who police say was driving the getaway car, is also charged with engaging police in a pursuit.
They’re accused of robbing the TD Bank at 1111 Post Road East around 10 a.m. Tuesday. Officers spotted the suspects driving eastbound on Post Road near Compo Road shortly after the robbery. Police tried to pull them over, but the car didn’t stop.
Police said Dekane led officers on a car chase and drove the wrong way onto the Merritt Parkway at Wilton Road. There the getaway car collided with a Toyota RAV4 and the suspects got out and ran into the woods.
Officers chased the men and arrested Dekane off the side of the highway. State police and officers from Norwalk, Wilton and New Canaan helped track down Cowan and arrest him about 25 minutes later, police said.
Dekane is facing additional charges from state police in connection with the crash, including reckless driving, driving the wrong way on a highway, driving without a license, evading police and driving an unregistered car, among others.
Both suspects are being held at Westport police on $85,000 bonds. They’ll appear in court Aug. 27.
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Dekane was also given a $5,000 non-surety bond from state police and will answer to those charges Aug. 20 in Norwalk.
