‘NO EVIDENCE’

Anne Heche Was Not High Before Fiery Crash, Autopsy Reveals

The actor’s autopsy found traces of cocaine and marijuana—from past use—in her system, as well as fentanyl, which had been given to her at a hospital.

Anne Heche’s final autopsy found “no evidence of impairment by illicit substances” at the time of the car crash that led to her death earlier this year, according to a report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office. Toxicology testing found benzoylecgonine—an inactive metabolite of cocaine—in her system, consistent with past usage of the drug, as well as cannabinoids in a urine sample, but not a blood sample, an indication that the 53-year-old had previously ingested marijuana, but was not under the drug’s influence “at the time of the injury.” Fentanyl was also detected in her bloodstream, though the report determined that it had been “obtained after she received treatment at the hospital and therefore is consistent with therapeutic use.” The report, made public Tuesday, corroborated an earlier finding that Heche’s death was due to smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. It noted that the effects of the smoke had been exacerbated by a sternum fracture, which would have made breathing significantly more “painful.” Heche spent approximately half an hour in her burning vehicle before firefighters were able to reach her on Aug. 5, and remained in a coma until she was declared brain dead six days later.