Coroner IDs Hanover man who committed suicide after lengthy police chase

Liz Evans Scolforo | York Dispatch

A lengthy police chase that started early Friday morning in Hanover ended in York Township, when the man who spurred the pursuit fatally shot himself, according to state police.

York County Coroner Pam Gay on Friday, Dec. 6, identified the man as Rodrigo Venturelli-Vargas, 26, of the 100 block of East Chestnut Street in Hanover.

An autopsy will be performed at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Allentown's Lehigh Valley Hospital, according to Gay.

State police said the pursuit started about 4:15 a.m. Friday and that troopers joined in the chase to assist Hanover Borough police officers.

Venturelli-Vargas was reportedly suicidal and fled from police following a domestic incident, state police said.

Police chased his car through multiple townships in York County, according to police.

In the 2000 block of Springwood Road, a trooper was able to stop Venturelli-Vargas' car by using what's known as a PIT maneuver, meaning having a cruiser ram a fleeing vehicle in such a way that it turns sideways, causing the driver to lose control and stop.

After Venturelli-Vargas' car was stopped, he fatally shot himself, according to police.

More than 20 miles separates Hanover from that portion of Springwood Road, meaning the pursuit lasted for at least 20 miles.

State police referred questions about how the incident started to Hanover Borough Police, who did not return a message seeking comment Friday.

— Reach senior crime reporter Liz Evans Scolforo at levans@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @LizScolforoYD.