Anne Heche’s final autopsy reveals she had a cocktail of substances in her system at the time of her fiery and fatal car crash in August.
According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner’s report, which was obtained Tuesday by the Post, the actress’ urine tested positive for cocaine, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines and fentanyl.
However, it has been determined that the fentanyl was administered to Heche to alleviate her pain after she had already been admitted to the hospital.
The medical examiner ruled that her death was accidental and caused by inhalation and thermal injuries, with a fracture to her sternum caused by blunt force trauma also contributing.
Sternal fractures are often the result of a driver’s chest striking the steering wheel.
The coroner’s report also states that the actress was trapped in her vehicle for about 30 minutes before first responders were able to extricate her.
During that time, Heche’s car was charred and her clothes were almost entirely burned off her body.
On the afternoon of Aug. 5, the Emmy winner crashed her blue Mini Cooper into an LA home in the Mar Vista neighborhood, igniting a blaze.
According to eyewitnesses on the scene, Heche first slammed into the garage of a nearby apartment complex before backing up and speeding off.
She hit another vehicle before bulldozing into the house that caught fire.
Photos from the scene captured the actress being put on a stretcher and showed serious injuries to her back. Aerial shots documented smoke billowing out of the residence as well as numerous fire trucks surrounding the area.
Heche’s rep told Page Six at the time that she had suffered a severe anoxic brain injury, a significant pulmonary injury that required mechanical ventilation and burns that required surgical intervention. The actress slipped into a coma and never regained consciousness.
While law enforcement officials were investigating the accident as a potential felony DUI, reports surfaced claiming Heche was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the crash. That has now been confirmed.
The mother of two was declared brain dead on Aug. 12 and taken off life support on Aug. 15 after matching with an organ donor recipient. She was 53.
The coroner’s report also states that the actress, who famously dated Ellen DeGeneres, was trapped in her vehicle for about 30 minutes before first responders were able to extricate her.Corbis via Getty Images Heche, who had a high-profile romance with Ellen DeGeneres in the ’90s, used to speak openly about her battle with substance abuse.
“I drank. I smoked. I did drugs. I had sex with people. I did anything I could to get the shame out of my life,” she told ABC News in 2001, explaining that her choices were a result of a painful childhood marked by sexual abuse.
