The Texas Rangers are investigating a shooting incident Saturday just north of the Denton-Cooke County line that appears to be a suicide after a traffic stop.
According to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety and information from the Denton County Sheriff's Office, a DPS trooper stopped a pickup on suspicion of reckless driving about 6:35 p.m. on Interstate 35. Callers reported to Denton police that the northbound truck was swerving wildly on and off the shoulder, while an off-duty Lewisville officer was behind him reporting his location.
The trooper put on his flashing emergency lights and the truck pulled onto Lone Oak Road and into a travel center parking lot, according to reports.
The trooper talked briefly with the male driver, but then he noticed a gun inside the truck. The driver then got back into the truck and began driving slowly out of the parking lot. He pulled onto Lone Oak Road and onto the I-35 service road with the trooper behind him.
Authorities notified the travel center to lock the doors and not allow anyone to leave, according to sheriff's reports.
Once even with the travel center, the driver again stopped the truck. The trooper yelled for him to get out of the truck but instead heard a gunshot, according to the report. One bullet passed through the man's head and exited the driver's window, breaking the glass. The driver, who has not been identified pending notification of kin, was declared dead at the scene.
- Donna Fielder
