The man shot himself while driving, causing his car to crash, according to the Pinellas Park Police Department.

PINELLAS PARK – Police here say a man shot himself after an event at the Showtime Speedway, causing his car to crash.

Robert James Hancock, 58, of St. Petersburg, died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot as he was driving his car, according to the Pinellas Park police.

Police said the crash happened about 10 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 12) after an event at the speedway. Multiple witnesses told officers they saw Mr. Hancock driving his 2015 Chevrolet Malibu at a high rate of speed on the drag strip and abruptly veer to his left. His car left the roadway and came to a stop in the mangroves/wooded area just off the drag strip, officers said.

During the investigation officers said they found a substantial amount of blood in the interior of the car. Mr. Hancock had a single gunshot wound to the right temple area of his head. A .380 caliber Ruger “LCP” handgun was at his feet inside the car. Witnesses who knew Mr. Hancock told police that, while he was at the speedway, he had been acting “aggravated and distant” for unknown reasons.

Investigators working with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Forensics Section and the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office have determined that Mr. Hancock died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as he was operating his vehicle causing the crash.

For information about the Pinellas Park police, go to pinellas-park.com.

Pinellas Park Police | Showtime Speedway | Driver Dies | Traffic Crash | TB Reporter

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