Early Tuesday morning, the Franklin County Sheriff’s office was notified of a vehicle stolen from a Jefferson County business. The vehicle was being tracked by On-Star and was headed into Franklin County.

Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton says his deputies and troopers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) responded to the area of Del Vista Drive in Villa Ridge where they found the truck.

The driver attempted to flee by driving the truck into some nearby woods. In the process, he backed up striking a deputy’s patrol vehicle and then drove forward striking a MSHP patrol vehicle. The driver eventually fled on Del Vista Dr. toward Route M where tire deflation devices were waiting at the intersection.

The stolen vehicle was then driven north on Route M to Old Highway 100 driving off the roadway and alongside a bluff just west of Route M.  The truck caught the edge of the embankment and came to a stop at 9:49 a.m.

As deputies and troopers approached the vehicle, the observed the male subject inside the stolen truck had a firearm pointed at himself.

Negotiators from the sheriff’s office arrived on the scene and began negotiations.

At 1:39 p.m. the man fired a single shot, shooting himself. Deputies began lifesaving efforts. The man was transported by Meramec Ambulance to a hospital.

Pelton said the status of the suspect was unknown at press time.