Pursuit in Lawrence County Ends with Suicide Attempt

TUESDAY NIGHT AT APPROX 8 PM A LAWRENCE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY CONDUCTED A TRAFFIC STOP ON A MALE SUBJECT NEAR THE DOLLAR GENERAL ON HWY 43 IN LAWRENCEBURG. AFTER REQUESTING DRIVER’S LICENSE AND VEHICLE DOCUMENTS FROM THE DRIVER THE DEPUTY WENT BACK TO HIS UNIT TO RUN ROUTINE CHECKS. IT WAS AT THAT TIME THE DRIVER LEFT THE SCENE OF THE TRAFFIC STOP AND BEGAN TO FLEE FROM THE PARKING LOT. THE VIOLATOR DID ATTEMPT TO CROSS A DRAINAGE DITCH WHERE THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK. THE SHERIFF’S DEPUTY AGAIN EXITED HIS PATROL UNIT AND ATTEMPTED TO DETAIN THE SUBJECT. THE SUBJECT PICKED UP A HANDGUN FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUBJECTS’ VEHICLE AGAIN BECAME MOBILE AND STRUCK THE DEPUTY AND ANOTHER ASSISTING PATROL UNIT ARRIVING ON SCENE. THE DEPUTY RETURNED TO HIS PATROL UNIT AND BEGAN PURSUING THE SUBJECT EAST TOWARDS HWY 64.  A FEW MILES EAST ON PULASKI HIGHWAY, DEPUTY’S OBSERVED ITEMS BEING THROWN FROM THE SUBJECTS’ VEHICLE. NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PULASKI HWY AND THE 64 BYPASS THE SUBJECTS’ VEHICLE SLOWED AND THEN CAME TO A STOP. WHILE BOTH DEPUTIES APPROACHED THE VEHICLE, THE MALE SUBJECT PUT THE HANDGUN TO HIS HEAD AND SHOT HIMSELF. DEPUTIES’ IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR EMS AND BEGAN CPR. THE SUBJECT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED TO VANDERBILT HOSPITAL WHERE HIS CONDITION IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.   

LCSO