Anne Heche death ruled an accident caused by fire, smoke inhalation, coroner says
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Anne Heche's death has been ruled an accident, caused primarily by smoke inhalation and fire after she was involved in a fiery car crash on Aug. 5, the Los Angeles County coroner has determined.
The county issued Heche's official cause of death on Wednesday, listing it as "inhalation and thermal injuries," while also noting she suffered a sternal fracture due to blunt trauma.
Heche's date of death was listed as Aug. 11, when she was considered brain-dead. Her body was kept on life support until Aug. 14, after a recipient for organ donation was found.
Heche's Mini Cooper was driving at high speeds through the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles on Aug. 5 when she apparently lost control, slamming into a home. The car smashed through the walls of the home, narrowly missing a resident inside and her pets, and then caught on fire.
She was initially hospitalized in critical condition with a severe brain injury and slipped into a coma after the crash.
The Los Angeles Police Department later said Heche had narcotics in her system at the time of the crash.
The woman living in the Mar Vista home was not hurt but neighbors say she lost everything due to the fire and crash. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her.
