Man Allegedly Shoots Himself Following Pursuit

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said a man shot himself following a stand-off that lasted for hours..

Sheriff Steven Pelton said the man was taken to the hospital for treatment where his condition remains unknown.

Pelton said the man had the gun pointed at himself in his vehicle for nearly four hours as negotiators tried to talk him out.

He fired a single shot on himself and deputies began life-saving efforts.

According to Pelton, the man was driving a stolen vehicle from Jefferson County.

On Star tracked the vehicle to the area of Del Vista Drive in Villa Ridge. Deputies responded and the driver attempted to flee by driving the vehicle into a wooded area.

The man backed up and struck a sheriff’s patrol vehicle, pulled forward and struck a highway patrol vehicle.

He continued to Highway M where tire deflation devices were set up. The vehicle went north on Highway M to Old Highway 100 where the driver went off the roadway.

He drove alongside the bluff, just west of Highway M. He came to a stop when he got stuck on the edge of the bluff embankment at approximately 9:49 a.m.

Deputies and troopers then approached the vehicle and observed the subject holding a gun to himself.