A serial robbery suspect fleeing from police was arrested after a dramatic crash and chase, only avoiding running over first responders by first crashing into a vehicle that was turning back from a police barricade.

A Hamilton police source not authorized to speak on the record says OPP were in pursuit of the getaway car around 8:30 p.m. Monday when it crashed into a car turning around from a closed roadway in Binbrook where Hamilton police were investigating an unrelated fatal crash a half-hour before.

Two people, one of whom was injured, were in the vehicle that was hit.

The police source said the scene was quite tense, as it could have easily also been first responders who were injured.

An officer then ran down the robbery suspect, who tried to flee the scene.

The arrested man, Kyle Heath, 29, made a brief appearance by video in a Hamilton courtroom Tuesday to answer to a slew of robbery charges.

He had been the subject of a manhunt by Hamilton and Niagara police investigating a string of armed robberies this month. He's now also accused in a robbery Monday around 4 p.m. in Caledonia — which is why he was being pursued by Haldimand OPP at the time of crash.

The exact details of how long OPP were in pursuit and whether it was called off at any point remain unclear.

An OPP officer at the scene Monday night told the Spectator that officers were not in "active pursuit," despite Hamilton police believing the contrary. OPP declined further comment Tuesday because of the ongoing SIU investigation.

SIU spokesperson Jason Gennaro said he couldn't confirm details of any pursuit, as that is part of the ongoing investigation.

SIU investigators are probing the circumstances and police involvement that led up to the second collision, he said.

Heath is charged with eight counts of robbery related to seven bank and one pharmacy robberies, said his lawyer Jaime Stephenson. He also faces a number charges related to breaching bail and probation.

Police put out a public appeal Dec. 16 to help locate Heath, describing him as "transient in nature," but frequenting the Hamilton and Niagara areas. A handgun was seen, but not used during the robberies.

Stephenson said he was also expected to appear in court in Cayuga.

She is also representing Heath at an upcoming trial in May on assault charges. She said she couldn't comment more on her client without his permission.

Roughly half an hour before the crash involving Heath, Hamilton police closed Highway 56 and Kirk Road after a 55-year-old Hamilton man was killed while trying to cross the roadway.

Family say a friend had just dropped off Matthew Russell at the side of the road before he was struck.

"He was always just a happy guy when you talked to him," said daughter Cheyenne Russell, 22. "He always had a smile on his face."

A 63-year-old Smithville man driving south attempted to avoid hitting the crossing pedestrian, but struck the 55-year-old, Hamilton police said. Speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash; however, poor lighting and rain may have contributed to it.

The bizarre confluence of events now involves more than one investigating authority.

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The Haldimand OPP is probing the Caledonia bank robbery; the Hamilton police are investigating the pedestrian fatality and are involved with the other robbery cases; the SIU is probing the second collision.

Haldimand OPP were investigating an armed robbery at the Bank of Montreal on Argyle Street in Caledonia around 4 p.m. Monday where an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen.

OPP Const. Mark Foster said police spotted the suspect vehicle northbound on Highway 56 around 8:15 p.m. and followed it.

Just before 8:30 p.m., OPP notified Hamilton police about the vehicle, the SIU said in a release issued Tuesday morning.

However, it's unclear whether Hamilton police knew the vehicle was headed their way.

The provincial police watchdog says a 58-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl were in the vehicle. The man suffered a broken clavicle and the girl was not injured.

Kirk Road remained closed Tuesday between Harrison and Highway 56, for the investigations.

Two involved vehicles were seen being towed from the scene around noon Tuesday.

A green Ford Explorer, with a smashed front end, could be seen in a farmer's field, before being loaded on a flatbed truck. A beige Saturn, with a damaged driver's side, was also towed.

Anyone who witnessed the first fatal pedestrian crash is asked to call the Hamilton police collision reconstruction unit Det. Const W Benjamin Paterson at 905-546-4753.

Anyone who witnessed the second crash, involving the alleged bank robber who blew through the police barricade, is asked to call the SIU at 1-800-787-8529 ext. 1886.

Heath is scheduled to return to Hamilton court Jan. 5.