A 19-year-old man sought by police for questioning in Maine shot himself in the head Sunday after police troops surrounded him on Interstate 95 in Norwalk, authorities said.
About 6 p.m. Sunday, a trooper spotted the vehicle that the young man had stolen, and started a chase that reached 85 mph, said Lt. Paul Resnick, spokesman for the Norwalk Police Department.
Police from Fairfield, Westport and Darien joined the state troopers in the chase.
Connecticut troopers finally surrounded the pickup truck near the Darien border and stopped it.
Shortly after the truck was stopped, Eric Niles, who was wanted for questioning in the death of a 20-year-old man in Penobscot County, took out a gun and shot himself in the head, while sitting on the passenger’s seat. Niles was immediately taken to a hospital and his condition was described as serious.
Police found the truck had been driven by 18-year-old Kristin Cates of Bradley, who was in good condition. Police are currently trying to establish whether she was a willing participant or whether she had been kidnapped and forced to drive the vehicle.
At about 8 a.m. on Sunday, police and medical examiners were called to investigate the death of Blake Michaud of Greenbush, who was found in the home of Kristin Cates’ parents.
The death was considered suspicious and police established an autopsy for Tuesday.