deadmonton 2006 - other police matters
low-speed chase fatality
A resident of a house near 96 Street and 109 Avenue called police at about 2:30 a.m. on June 23rd, 2006 to report that a drunk man he knew was outside his house with a rifle and was trying to get in.
While police were on the way to the house, the man with the gun left in a van. It was soon spotted by cops at 107th Avenue and 109th Street.
Police then began a low-speed pursuit of the vehicle, with speeds never exceeding 60 km/h.
The AIR-1 police helicopter was called in and directed ground units to deploy a spike belt ahead of the vehicle at 159 Street and Stony Plain Road.
The spike belt was successfully laid down but the suspect vehicle continued on, travelling on shredded tires and spark-shooting bare rims.
The van pulled into a parking lot at 96th Avenue and 180th Street. Numerous attempts were made by police to convince the driver to surrender.
Twenty minutes later, at about 3:15 a.m., the police tactical unit was getting ready to approach the van when a single shot was heard.
Police found Wayne Roland Tuccaro, 41, deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the van.
Earlier the day before, Tuccaro, a Fort McMurray machine operator and father of six, was visiting his aunt and uncle at their house in the McCauley area.
Tuccaro said he was despondent over family problems he was having involving his common-law wife. He was distraught that his wife had taken their three kids away. He was also having trouble with his maintenance enforcement payments.
Tuccaro left for awhile but returned to the home intoxicated and carrying a rifle. Tuccaro's aunt and uncle say they were forced to call police for help.
A homicide investigator was called in to investigate Tuccaro's death because it was considered an in-custody fatality.
An autopsy was completed but no results were released. A fatality inquiry may be called by the medical examiner, said a police spokesman.
The Edmonton Sun carried an interview with Tuccaro's ex-wife that shed a different light on events that led up to his suicide.
April Marcel said Wayne Tuccaro spoke with her on the phone just hours before taking his own life.
While his aunt and uncle said Tuccaro was depressed by his split with April, Marcel said that wasn't the case.
The Sun quoted Marcel as saying, "We were still together."
Marcel figured Tuccaro left his aunt and uncle's house in anger after an argument with his aunt.