Sheriff's pursuit ends in suicide

By GLENDA ANDERSON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Published: Monday, July 27, 2009 at 3:50 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 27, 2009 at 3:50 p.m.
A sheriff's pursuit ended Saturday with a Lake County man shooting and killing himself, officials reported Monday.
Ryan Randall Williams, 28, of Kelseyville died of a single gunshot wound to the head, said Lake County Sheriff's Capt. Rob Howe.
The brief pursuit began at about 12:28 a.m. Saturday when Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Andy Davidson spotted Williams' vehicle at Kit's Corner near Kelseyville, he said. Davidson knew Williams was on parole and was wanted for a parole violation, Howe said.
Information about the parole violation was not available.
Williams initially slowed his vehicle and pulled onto the shoulder of Soda Bay Road in response to the siren and lights, Howe said.
But then he accelerated and started to pull his vehicle back onto the road, he said. Davidson sped forward to block Williams and their vehicles collided, Howe said.
Williams' vehicle then swerved across the road, up an embankment and back down. It then collided again with the patrol vehicle before careening off the road and into a heavily wooded area, he said.
Williams was found inside the vehicle with severe head trauma from a single gunshot wound, Howe said. A loaded handgun with one expended cartridge was found near his feet.
"It appeared that when Sgt. Davidson attempted to stop Williams he decided to take his own life," Howe said.
Williams was pulled from the vehicle as a medical helicopter prepared to transport him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, but he died at the scene, Howe said.