How does a Florida man drown while hiding from police in a pool?

A routine traffic stop ended with a 31-year-old Florida man drowning in his own above-ground pool, police say. 

Over the weekend, Palm Bay officers tried to pull over the man, whose name has not been released, when he abandoned his vehicle and apparently ran home.

Eventually, officials found the man dead in his backyard pool. His body was stuck between the wall and the stairs. Authorities believe he was hiding from them and may have drowned as he waited for the perceived threat to pass. 

“His head was above water,” a spokesperson for the police department said. “He may have panicked… we really don’t know at this point.”

What do we know as the story develops and the investigation continues?

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