LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner‘s office ruled Anne Heche’s death an accident, days after the “Another World” actor’s death and nearly two weeks after her fiery and fatal car crash in Mar Vista.
Heche died from smoke “inhalation and thermal injuries,” the coroner’s office said. She also suffered a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma” as a result of her car crash.
Heche was hospitalized Aug. 5 with severe burns after crashing her car into a home in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. The accident caused the home to catch fire.
Heche, who was 53, sustained a serious brain injury due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. She was declared brain dead Thursday and legally dead Friday.
Her body remained on life support to preserve her organs for donation until Sunday, when a recipient was identified.
Los Angeles police officials confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that Heche was under the influence of narcotics — cocaine — when she crashed her car in Mar Vista. However, the LAPD dismissed the DUI investigation against the actor following her death.
“Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case,” Officer Norma Eisenman said in a statement. “When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”
