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By Shawn Merrithew

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A Texas man who died in a shooting incident at the Woodstock-Houlton border last week has been identified as 52-year-old George Jeffrey Carlson.

A report from the Houston Chronicle cited District 7 RCMP Sgt. Dave Vautour as confirming Carlson's identity.

Carlson – who hailed from Spring, Texas, a community just 30 minutes north of Houston – was found dead in a two-door Saab hatchback just moments after he reported to the Canadian border crossing checkpoint in Belleville last Thursday morning.

"He hadn't cleared customs yet," said Sgt. Vautour. "He was at the primary station, and the customs officer was investigating."

The Chronicle reported border officials as saying Carlson appeared disoriented. It quoted Vautour as saying when Carlson was questioned by border officials, he did not appear to know where he was nor where he was going. He even tried to give the border officer a $10 bill as if he were at a highway toll booth, the report said.

Sgt. Vautour said the Canadian Border Service Agency officer suspected Carlson of impaired driving and wanted him to pull over to do a secondary screening.

But before the officer could conduct the secondary search, he said, the man drove off and came to a complete stop a few metres away, next to a nearby parking lot. Border officials then heard a gun shot, he said.

RCMP recovered a .38-calibre revolver, a box of ammunition and alcohol from the car following the shooting.

Carlson was the lone occupant of the vehicle, Sgt. Vautour said, and no one else was hurt in the incident.

According to the Chronicle's report, Carlson's family could not be reached for comment.

But a Spring man, who identified himself as s close friend, said Carlson told him in January he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was given three to six months to live.

"He was absolutely a sane person," said Christopher Rendeiro. "He was a really good guy. I just think he snapped."

Rendeiro told the Houston Chronicle he met Carlson in Grade 7, near Columbus, Ohio, where they grew up. Over the years, the two remained close friends. Carlson, he said, attended Ohio State University for two years and they worked together in the West Texas oil fields in the early ‘80s.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Gary Cameron said foul play is not suspected in Carlson's death. And while the case is not closed, he added there is little more the RCMP can do because it is not investigating a criminal act.