Downtown streets have opened and traffic is flowing smoothly after a man crashed a stolen SUV into PNC's Firstside Center on First Avenue this afternoon, drawing a bomb squad and a crowd of curious onlookers.

Yet Pittsburgh police were continuing to search for the driver, described as black, middle aged, about 5-foot-9, and wearing a tassel cap, jeans and a brown jacket.

Police said he drove the vehicle, a Hyundai Santa Fe, up the front steps and crashed into the glass doors about 2 p.m. He then ran away, possibly into a building in the 200 block of Ross Street.

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Police took precautions, shutting down several Downtown streets while a bomb squad inspected the vehicle. No explosives were found, police spokeswoman Diane Richard said.

No one was hurt including people inside the building, who did not leave but moved to rooms in the back.

All the streets that were closed off were reopened about 5 p.m.

Police are still investigating a motive.

Zone 2 Cmdr. George Trosky said police don't know if it was an accident by a drunk driver or whether the bank was targeted.

"We can't rule anything out," he said.

The SUV was stolen earlier in the day from the Parkway Center Mall in Green Tree. Its owner had not yet reported it stolen when a friend called to tell her they had seen it.

Police identified the owner through the license plates and called the owner a short time later, Cmdr. Trosky said.

PNC spokesman Fred Solomon referred questions about the incident to Pittsburgh police.

Janine Lewis, an on-line banking analyst, was working on the fourth floor of the building when the incident occurred.

"First I heard this smash and my manager said someone drove into the building," said Ms. Lewis, 48, of Sheraden.

The employees in her section continued to work until they were ordered to evacuate about two hours later. She said it was unclear whether everyone in the building was told to leave.

"I don't think that is right, that they left us in the building and now they're saying there could be bombs," she said.

First Published: February 8, 2012, 1:15 a.m.