Dallas County

Dallas County Assistant DA Was Stopped by Police, Hospitalized Hours Before Death: Police Report

*Update: The Collin County Medical Examiner's Office and Rowlett Police Department say ADA Justin Lord died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Details here.

The Dallas County Assistant District Attorney found dead inside his home Saturday was stopped by police and hospitalized after a car crash earlier that morning, according to a police report obtained Wednesday by NBC 5.

Dallas County officials said Justin Lord was found dead inside his Rowlett home early Saturday morning.

A report from the Palmer Police Department, in Ellis County, says an officer was responding to a crash and noticed Lord walking down the street around 1:30 a.m. that morning, with blood on his face and T-shirt. The crash, which Lord was involved in, was reported at the intersection of N. Dallas Street and E. Paris Street. [[559477112,C]]

Lord told the officer he was involved in the crash and admitted to having "three or four" drinks that night, according to the report. The officer observed Lord "did not have normal use of his mental or physical faculties."

The report says Lord told a medic he was on his way home to Rowlett, which he told police was a mile away. The medic informed Lord that he was actually in Palmer, which is about 40 miles away. Lord was then taken to Ennis Regional Hospital for further examination, the report says.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Lord gave consent to draw blood to check his blood alcohol content, according to the police report. He was informed if the number was over the legal limit, a warrant would be issued for his arrest for driving while intoxicated.

The hospital released Lord to his wife later in that morning, Palmer Police Chief John Zaidle said.

On Friday, officials said Lord's cause of death was suicide.

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