Death Of Talbot Co. Man Who Fled Traffic Stop And Was Later Found In Distress Under Investigation

(CAMBRIDGE, MD) – Maryland State Police are investigating the death of a Talbot County man who ran from a traffic stop this afternoon and when he was later found one-half mile away was transported to the hospital where he later died.

The man is identified as Larry D. Ross, Jr., 37, of Easton, Md.  He was pronounced deceased at the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Dorchester.

Maryland State Police Homicide Unit investigators are conducting the investigation.  They are being assisted by the State Police from the Criminal Enforcement Division and Forensic Sciences Division, was well as personnel from the Cambridge Police Department, Dorchester County State’s Attorney and the Dorchester County Drug Task Force.

This afternoon, members of a combined law enforcement team were working a drug enforcement initiative in the Cambridge area due to ten overdose deaths in the county so far this year, compared to seven for all of 2019.  There have been 34 documented non-fatal overdoses.  The region has been identified as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

The preliminary investigation indicates that during the initiative, shortly after 1:00 p.m., a Maryland state trooper in uniform and in an unmarked patrol vehicle, stopped a 2002 Audi for failure to stay right of center and an equipment violation on Rt. 16, south of Chesapeake Street in Cambridge.  As soon as the car stopped, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, immediately ran from the car and behind several houses in the area.

When the man disappeared behind the houses, the trooper lost sight of him and did not pursue.  He returned to his car to alert other officers in the area about what had happened.

Several minutes later, a motorist drove by the location of the traffic stop and asked if they were looking for an individual who matched the description of the man seen running from the car.  The motorist said he had seen the man running through a field toward the area of Race Street.

Three troopers went to the area on foot and began a search.  During the search, they found a man, later identified as Ross, lying in a wooded area behind a building in the 1700-block of Race Street, about one-half mile from where the traffic stop occurred.  The preliminary investigation indicates the man was given commands to show his hands and police approached and placed him in handcuffs behind his back.  He did not resist and there was no force used on him by police.

According to the investigation, Ross said he needed water and troopers saw he was sweating profusely.  Troopers immediately called EMS to respond as a precaution.  Troopers told him they had water at their car.  Ross walked under his own power about 70 yards to the police car and was provided water to drink and to pour over him to cool him off.  He was asked if he ingested something and he said yes, but later said he did not.

An ambulance from Dorchester Co. Department of Emergency Services arrived at the scene and transported Ross to the hospital where he received treatment.  He was pronounced deceased shortly before 3:30 p.m.

The body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.  It is unknown when the autopsy results will be available.

State Police Homicide Unit investigators have briefed Dorchester County State’s Attorney’s William Jones on the preliminary investigation.  Upon conclusion of the investigation, it will be presented to the State’s Attorney’s Office for review.

The investigation is continuing.