CORONA: Bank robbery suspect called likely pawn

from pe.com

A Corona man dies when he crashes while fleeing police. A nephew says he’s too nice to rob anyone

“He was no saint, but this wasn’t him,” said the nephew of a Corona man who died in a crash after a high-speed police chase following a bank robbery last week in Anaheim.

Richard Brieger was too nice to mastermind a robbery, said his nephew, Joseph Silva, speculating he was merely a pawn because of his good nature.

The man Silva blames for the idea of committing the crime? His own father, Arthur Joseph Taylor, a convicted armed robber, who is alive but in critical condition with severe head trauma.

“(Brieger) was a nice guy, he didn’t do this,” Silva said.

Brieger was killed two days before his 57th birthday after he crashed a Honda Civic into a light pole on East La Palma Avenue in Anaheim shortly before 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10. Police suspect he and Taylor robbed a bank about a mile down La Palma Avenue about 10 minutes before the crash.

Taylor, 49, was recently released from federal prison after an approximately 20-year sentence for armed robbery, officials confirmed.

“He has a lengthy criminal history that includes robbery,” Anaheim police Lt. Tim Schmidt said.

Police suspect Brieger and Taylor robbed a Bank of the West by handing a note to a teller demanding cash before fleeing the scene. Officers chased the men, who at times drove on the wrong side of the road and through several red lights at high speed, until Brieger crashed.

Investigators said $4,000 was stolen from the bank and cash was found in the Honda Civic, but officials have not said how much, Schmidt said.

Silva, 28, who was raised in group homes and lived with Brieger briefly when he was 16, said he’s never met his father because Taylor was incarcerated for most of his life.

“This wasn’t (Brieger); he got caught up in a bad situation and now he has a title that I don’t think he deserves,” Silva said. “The worst part is now his daughter has nobody but us.”

Silva said Brieger is survived by a 12-year-old daughter and her mother, Diana Brieger.

Richard Brieger grew up in Rosemead and had lived in Corona for the past 15 to 20 years. A handyman, he lived with Diana Brieger’s mother and helped the family out whenever possible, Silva said.

Richard Brieger was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of controlled substances on Sept.10, 2012. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of misdemeanor possession of controlled substances and was sentenced to complete a drug diversion program in May 2013. He was scheduled to bring proof of completion of the program to court Friday, Jan. 17, according to Riverside County court records.

“He was very caring and giving,” Silva said. “He was nice, never thuggish.”

Police and the FBI are continuing to investigate the robbery and death.