JEFFERSON COUNTY, Alabama - A man officials say went on a crime spree wearing a devil mask is now in custody and hurting like hell.

The man authorities say robbed several businesses in Jefferson and Blount counties in the past two weeks, and shot a man in the process, fell off of a cliff in Remlap. He suffered a broken back and has had one of his legs amputated.

"When he robbed the drug stores I said I hoped we could find him before he hurt someone or got himself killed,'' said Jefferson County sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Christian. "Well he did hurt someone and almost got himself killed."

"He has a long road of medical problems ahead of him and an extended prison stay,'' Christian said. "I would like to think that maybe he jumped off of that cliff because of remorse, but I can't give him that much credit."

The 38-year-old Remlap man is accused of robbing the Winn Dixie at 2402 Old Springville Road about 10:45 p.m. Friday. Armed with a rifle and wearing a devil mask, he burst into the store, went to a cashier and demanded money. He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash from the register.

At 11:22 p.m., also Friday, Christian said the same man wearing the same devil mask robbed Rogers convenience store on Old Springville Road. A 53-year-old customer walking into the store just after the holdup was told the store had just been robbed and started to follow the robber. The gunman shot the man, who remains hospitalized with critical injures.

On Saturday, Christian said today, investigators received information from Blount County authorities that a man had fallen from a cliff and been critically injured. He crawled to a nearby home to get help. Lawmen who responded found items in his vehicle that led them to believe he may have been involved in the robberies.

The man, whose name authorities are withholding for now, was taken to an undisclosed Birmingham hospital.

Jefferson County sheriff's detectives carried out search warrants for his home and vehicle. Evidence found link him to the robberies, Christian said. They also found evidence linking him to the Oct. 15 robbery at Tyner's Pharmacy on Chalkville Mountain Road. The gunman there entered the pharmacy and demanded Xanax and Valium.

The man is also a suspect in Blount County. Birmingham police said he is a suspect in an Oct. 11 robbery at Mike's Quick Stop on Pinson Valley Parkway.

Christian said the man told detectives he was hit by a car, but has refused to answer any additional questions. The investigation is ongoing.

"We want the public out in North Jefferson County and beyond to know that this crime spree has ended,'' Sheriff Mike Hale said today. "It appears this suspect was responsible for a great deal of mayhem and he is very fortunate the shooting victim survived or he would be facing a capital murder charge."