Pictures From Anne Heche's Fatal Car Crash

Eternally Solo · #1 ● 08-05-2022, 10:07 PM

On August 5, 2022 Anne Heche was driving her Mini Cooper when she crashed into a house in the Mar Vista neighborhood of West Los Angeles. The collision, which occurred shortly before 11 a.m., led to a significant fire, complicating rescue efforts.

According to records and audio from the L.A. City Fire Department obtained by KNBC, it took nearly an hour for Heche to be freed from the wreckage. LAFD Deputy Chief Richard Fields explained the delay, noting the heavy fire and smoke conditions that obscured visibility and hindered immediate access to the vehicle.

Heche was initially taken to the emergency room at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and later transferred to the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center. While she was in a coma, authorities began investigating the circumstances leading to the crash. Surveillance footage showed Heche's vehicle hitting a garage of an apartment building and a Jaguar, and narrowly missing a pedestrian, moments before the final crash.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Heche was under investigation for felony DUI in connection with the crash. However, following her death on August 11, 2022, the investigation was closed. The LAPD stated that any information or records requested prior to her death would be included in the overall case as a matter of formalities.

Heche remained on life support until August 14 to facilitate organ donation arrangements. Her death was ultimately ruled an accident. The autopsy report revealed that she died of inhalation and thermal injuries, with a sternum fracture due to blunt force trauma contributing significantly. Additionally, she suffered a lacerated right kidney and burns over 12 percent of her body.

Toxicology findings released in December by the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner clarified that Heche was not impaired by drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. However, tests showed an inactive cocaine metabolite, indicating cocaine use prior to the incident, along with traces of cannabinoids, benzodiazepine, and a therapeutic amount of fentanyl.