Man detained after allegedly robbing a Taco Bell, crashing vehicle into Sacramento-area home

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A suspect was taken into custody on Friday afternoon, September 26, 2025, after a chaotic series of events that began with an armed robbery at a Fair Oaks Taco Bell and ended with the suspect hiding under the deck of an Arden-Arcade home.

The incident unfolded around mid-day when Sacramento County sheriff's deputies responded to reports of an armed robbery at a Taco Bell restaurant in Fair Oaks. The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Donald Caviness, allegedly brandished a firearm and demanded money before fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Deputies spotted the vehicle shortly after and attempted a traffic stop, initiating a brief pursuit.

The chase ended when the suspect lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a residential property near Edison Avenue. Caviness then fled on foot into the surrounding neighborhood, prompting deputies to establish a secure perimeter. Due to the proximity of the search area, four local schools—Whitney Avenue Elementary, Pasadena Avenue Elementary, Arcade Middle, and Mira Loma High—were placed under a precautionary shelter-in-place order.

After an extensive search involving K-9 units and air support, deputies located Caviness hiding under the deck of a home on the 3800 block of Robie Lee Way. He was detained without further incident. Investigators later recovered the firearm believed to have been used in the robbery in a nearby backyard. Caviness faces multiple charges, including armed robbery, felony evasion, and resisting arrest.