An Oak Bluffs man accused of ramming a police cruiser and driving a pickup truck off a Steamship Authority pier last year has died, according to court and police officials.
Justin Leblanc, 50, died in Tisbury in late December, said Tisbury police Lieut. William Brigham. Both Mr. Brigham and Mr. Leblanc’s attorney Cass Luskin, said they could not comment on his death.
“Due to the personal and sensitive nature, I cannot, by law, release any details,” Lieutenant Brigham said Tuesday.
Mr. Leblanc was scheduled to be in court last week, but the hearing was cancelled after the court learned of his death.
Mr. Leblanc was arrested in April 2024 after rescuers pulled him from the waters off the Oak Bluffs Steamship terminal. At the time, police said he was wanted for domestic violence charges and hit a cruiser while attempting to flee police.
Mr. Leblanc then allegedly drove his pickup truck through the gate at the Steamship Authority ramp and then launched into the water.
Officers said Mr. Leblanc swam away from his vehicle onto one of the nearby pilings, and was later picked up in a police and fire department boat.
He pleaded not guilty to several charges connected to the incident in April and was scheduled to have a discovery compliance hearing on Friday.
