Police car crashes into Orinda Wells Fargo building

ORINDA, Calif. - An Orinda police officer was released from the hospital after he crashed his patrol cruiser into a Wells Fargo Bank.

The officer, whose name was not released, collided into the bank on Moraga Way while trying to catch up to a suspicious car at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday.

A video taken by Mahboud Zabetian showed the police car embedded into the building at about 11:40 p.m.

Zabetian, who lives nearby, ventured outside when he heard the crash..

"I can't believe the car is like inside the bank," he said. "It hadn't just struck the bank. It was right inside."

The severely damaged police car with Wells Fargo bricks on its hood was spotted at police headquarters, where it had been towed Friday morning. 

The crews were called out at 1 a.m. to board up the bank and determine if the building was structurally sound. There was glass on the sidewalk and tire marks outside the bank. 

The bank was open for business at 9 a.m. In a statement, Wells Fargo said it was cooperating with investigators.

Orinda resident Tyler Burkett walked by on his way to coffee; he was surprised. 

"I kind of assumed someone had broken in through the windows or something like that," he said. "But there were certainly a lot of boards, so I wasn't sure what was going on."