ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio -- An armed robber used a realistic-looking pellet gun when he demanded drugs from a Belmont County pharmacist Friday morning.

The robbery happened at the Kmart pharmacy in the Ohio Valley Mall Plaza in Belmont County.

On a 911 tape, a person who called emergency dispatchers said, "We just had a robbery. This is Kmart pharmacy ... A gentlemen came in with a gun and held us up for OxyContin."

The caller, who remained calm, said the man was blond and wearing a black T-shirt. He said a witness saw the robber get into a burnt-orange Chevrolet Cavalier.

Later, with the help of witnesses' detailed descriptions and after a chase that spanned Ohio to West Virginia, police arrested 44-year-old Martin Kiggans, of Cambridge.

Police said after Kiggans allegedly took the drugs, he drove from St. Clairsville to Wheeling, then into Warwood, where he was arrested.

Bridgeport Police Chief Chad Dojack said he chased the suspect at speeds of about 80 mph across the Fort Henry Bridge, where Kiggans allegedly drove through and around barriers and road closure signs.

At that time, Wheeling police joined the pursuit. Officials said Kiggans got off at the Main Street exit of Interstate 70 and made a U-turn, continuing the wrong way on Main Street into North Wheeling.

Wheeling police Sgt. Mike Anderson said Kiggans surrendered when he saw police had laid spike strips across the road, and he was taken into custody at gunpoint.

Tom Triveri said he saw police make the stop from his Warwood office.

"I couldn't imagine what was going on. I thought we had a president coming down the road again because there were so many police cars here," Triveri said. "Warwood is a quiet community. We have some police patrol up here, and sometimes we'd like to have more, but not like this."

After Kiggans was arrested, police transported him to a hospital for an examination. He is being held on a fugitive from justice charge in West Virginia, and police said Ohio officials are expected to also file charges.

The Belmont County sheriff said even thought a pellet gun was used, the incident is still an armed robbery.