By CARRIE STAMBAUGH - The Independent
ASHLAND — Details are still emerging about the suspected suicide of an Ashland man following a traffic accident on Monday.
Brian K. Fitzpatrick, 43, of Ashland, was pronounced dead shortly after 8:30 p.m. Monday.
Police say Fitzpatrick was involved in a head-on collision with another driver but used a gun to take his own life following the wreck.
Boyd County Coroner Chris Stewart confirmed a man was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident in the 4800 block of Skyline Drive but could not release his name or cause of death. He said an autopsy is being performed and results are expected today.
Ashland Police Capt. Todd Kelley and publicly available police reports identified Fitzpatrick as the deceased.
Kelley said Fitzpatrick was driving in the wrong lane when he collided with another vehicle. Neither Fitzpatrick or the other driver, an unidentified man, were initially injured in the wreck.
Kelley said the drivers made contact with one another and returned to their cars following the accident to wait for authorities to arrive. Some time after that Fitzpatrick apparently shot himself.
Based on the preliminary investigation, Fitzpatrick may have been intoxicated at the time of the incident.
Authorities were initially unaware of Fitzpatrick’s gunshot wound.
Ashland Fire Department Deputy Chief Greg Ray said firefighters were initially called to assist with the noninjury accident.
According to the fire department’s report, when firefighters arrived Fitzpatrick was lying unconscious in the roadway. It wasn’t until firefighters tried to hook up an AED machine to attempt to restart his heart that they discovered he had severe bleeding from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his chest.
Firefighters were not able to revive him and assisted the coroner’s office in removal of Fitzpatrick’s body.
