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Driver May Have Shot, Killed Himself During Traffic Stop

DENVER (CBS4) - A man shot dead during a traffic stop may have tried to shoot himself inside his car and missed, prompting an Arapahoe County sheriff's deputy to fire his weapon into the car.

An autopsy will determine whether a self-inflicted shot or a deputy killed Ian Santamaria, 31.

Two deputies pursued Santamaria after he sped by them as they were conducting a traffic stop late Sunday on an exit ramp on Interstate 225 near the Denver Tech Center.

When they stopped him and approached the car, Santamaria brandished a gun, the sheriff's office said. That prompted an exchange of gunfire. One deputy was hurt, but he wasn't shot.

Santamaria didn't have any outstanding warrants but was a habitual traffic offender.

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(credit: CBS)
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