Police are checking the backgrounds of two people arrested Wednesday following a short pursuit on Muskogee’s east side.

The man, identified by police as Raymond Anthony Marquez, 31, is wanted by California authorities who suspect he was involved in two armed robberies. Muskogee Police Public Information Officer Brad Holt said authorities are trying to learn more about Marquez’ companion, a woman identified by police as Hanna Lynn Stearn, 20.

Authorities said the pursuit began at about 1:20 p.m. Wednesday after a man ran from the Armstrong Bank branch at 3401 Chandler Road. Police said the man and a female accomplice allegedly tried to cash a suspicious check. It ended at York Street and Chandler Road, where the sport utility vehicle in which they fled crashed.

Janene Cato, executive vice president of Armstrong Bank, said bank employees notified police after becoming suspicious of the man and the transaction. When police arrived, Cato said, the man fled from the bank and sped away in a sport utility vehicle.

Muskogee Police Lt. Jerry Jaynes said the getaway car, a Chevrolet Blazer bearing California plates, was heading west on Chandler Road when the driver ran a red light at York Street and was clipped by a second car. The driver of that car was northbound on York Street when the two cars collided.

James Mullins, a Budweiser distributor who was making deliveries in the area when the collision occurred, said the Blazer rolled through the intersection and struck a light pole before it came to rest on its top on the sidewalk outside Walgreens.

“He (Marquez) jumped out of the passenger-side window and ran into Walgreens,” Mullins said. “She (Stearn) came out of the passenger-side window about five seconds later, and the police had her down by the bushes.”

Christian Brodersen, executive assistant manager at the Walgreens store, said he was inside the walk-in refrigerator when he heard some commotion inside the store.

“I heard some yelling — I think it was the cops telling him to get down — so I came out and saw the suspect on the ground,” Brodersen said. “It looked like he (Marquez) tried to run through the door into the pharmacy, but it was locked and police had him cornered.”

The two suspects were transported to Muskogee Regional Medical Center, where they were treated for minor injuries. Jaynes said both would be booked into Muskogee County/City Detention Center once they were released from the hospital.

Holt said the two were booked into jail on a variety of complaints, including three counts of uttering forged instruments and one count each of attempting to utter a forged instrument, knowingly concealing or withholding stolen property, attempting to elude police and leaving the scene of an accident.

Before the sport utility vehicle was hauled away, police seized an Armstrong Bank envelope containing an unspecified amount of money. The two are expected to make an initial appearance Thursday in Muskogee County District Court.