Police: Suspect in chase kills self

Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND Authorities work the scene of a crash that ended Thursday with an man suspected of committing traffic violations on LSU's campus killing himself near Essen Lane and Interstate 12.

What began as a routine traffic stop on LSU’s campus Thursday turned into a high-speed chase that ended with the driver fatally shooting himself in the head, police said.

LSU Police Capt. Cory Lalonde said the driver, Steven W. Sanchez, 28, 14825 Bon Dickey Drive, wrecked his pickup and killed himself after leading three law enforcement agencies on an 80-mph, 40-minute pursuit through East Baton Rouge Parish.

Police said they did not know why Sanchez committed suicide.

“As of right now, we don’t have a motive on why he killed himself,” Lalonde said. “It may take speaking with the family and finding out more information about him.”

Court records show Sanchez had been previously arrested for possession of Schedule II drugs, a category which includes cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone and morphine. He also had some traffic violations.

No drugs were found in the car “to my knowledge,” Lalonde said.

The events leading to Sanchez’s death started at 3:50 p.m. when an LSU police officer parked near South Stadium Road and Highland Road saw Sanchez’s black Ford Ranger barrel through multiple barricades on South Stadium Road at “high rates of speed,” Lalonde said.

Sanchez then swerved and almost hit a golf cart with one person in it, then nearly struck two pedestrians, Lalonde said.

At that point, the LSU police officer activated his lights and sirens in an attempt to pull Sanchez’s pickup over, Lalonde said.

Sanchez started to pull over to the side of the road, but then took off down Stanford Avenue, Lalonde said.

LSU police contacted Baton Rouge police and the Sheriff’s Office to assist in the pursuit of Sanchez as it continued at 80 mph down Acadian Thruway, Perkins Road, Interstate 10 and Interstate 12, Lalonde said. “He was all over the place,” he said.

Police deployed spike strips several times throughout the 40-minute chase, but Sanchez continued through them, even after one of his tires blew out, Lalonde said.

Sanchez eventually pulled off I-12 at Essen Lane at 4:30 p.m., struck another car and crashed his pickup before firing one bullet into his head, Lalonde said.

Comments

1) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 28/07/2012

2 Ardy0202 Awwwww now that I have read the rest of the story, I am having second thoughts, no... he is still a jerk and good riddance. And to DMJ you should be happy, here is another white guy out of your way.

2) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 28/07/2012

And I say to myself "What a wonderful world"

3) Comment by Ardy0202 - 27/07/2012

First thing this person is NOT a felon. Second I know how some can judge because of what he did, but maybe just maybe there is more to this story. Do you really think he just didn't care about almost hitting people? Do you think he doesn't have a family that might read this and take these comments to heart? Do you think his family doesn't care about the people he almost hurt? You are people that are so quick to judge with a story that doesn't tell much detail. And the comment about saving tax payees money, really!! Do you know this guy's record? NO, you don't. He was not some convict, he wasn't some person in and out of the system. He was a father, a husband, a hard worker, a great friend, a son. Just like most of you. Except he would never be so quick to judge like you do. I can promise there is more to the story so please I mean please, read the updated story tomorrow.

4) Comment by Bouncer - 27/07/2012

@DMJ: Making a "joke" about a dead felon is no more "messed up" than your calling the pastor of a church a "closeted gay".....just for your own enjoyment and for the sake of trying to be thought of as possessing a real wit. You're a Grade-A schmuck who needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut..

5) Comment by DMJ - 27/07/2012

The guy's already dead. No reason to rub it in, save for your own enjoyment...which, like I said, is messed up.

6) Comment by foldgers - 27/07/2012

I am not joking here, but yes, good riddance. He came close to running over a couple of pedestrians, hitting a golf cart with people on it, wrecking into a car and flying down the streets of BR at over 80 mph easily putting other people's lives at risk and obviously didn't care about that fact. So, I do not care about his life and once again, good riddance.

7) Comment by Get Real - 27/07/2012

2 of the biggest jerks on the internet. No compassion for human life at all.

8) Comment by DMJ - 27/07/2012

How do you make jokes about dead people? That's messed up.

9) Comment by tradewinns - 27/07/2012

i would like to thank him for saving the la. taxpayer tons of money in court costs and incarceration cost.

10) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 27/07/2012

One more jerk off of the road