Anne Heche's blood test revealed narcotics in her system: LAPD
It's believed Anne Heche was under the influence when she crashed her car into a home in Los Angeles last Friday. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department confirms to Yahoo Entertainment that Heche, 53, is being investigated for a felony DUI traffic collision. Blood draw results showed the presence of narcotics; however additional testing is required to rule out what was given to her medically.
TMZ quotes law enforcement sources as claiming cocaine was one of the substances found, as well as fentanyl. (Fentanyl is sometimes used for pain management in the hospital.) The Los Angeles Times reports Heche was under the influence of cocaine during the crash. When asked if either of those drugs were the specific narcotics found, the LAPD spokesperson tells Yahoo it's "unknown at this time" and more testing will be performed.
For a traffic collision to be a felony, that means the driver was impaired and/or injured others. Lynne Mishele, the woman whose home was destroyed when it went up in flames in the crash, was hit by some debris and had smoke-related injuries, Fox News Digital reports.
"This case is still an active and ongoing investigation and is currently in the process of gathering additional evidence; to include final toxicology results, and medical records from both parties involved. It is the intent of the investigating Detectives to present this case to the appropriate prosecuting office — the Los Angeles County District Attorney or the Los Angeles City Attorney's office — once all pertinent evidence has been gathered," the LAPD said in a statement on Thursday afternoon. "As of this press release there is no definite direction of which prosecutorial office will be presented with this case until all appropriate and necessary evidence has been gathered accordingly."
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Heche was rushed to the hospital on Aug. 5 in critical condition after she was severely burned in the fiery incident. Despite reports over the weekend that she was stable, a rep for the Six Days Seven Nights star said on Monday her condition had not improved.
"At this time Anne is in extreme critical condition. She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention. She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident," a spokesperson told Yahoo.
TMZ reports Heche is still fighting for her life. Yahoo reached out to the actress's representative, but did not immediately receive a response.
It took 59 firefighters and 65 minutes to extinguish the fire that started after Heche's blue Mini Cooper rocketed into Mishele's two-story home in the Mar Vista neighborhood of L.A. The Los Angeles Fire Department rescued the actress from her burning vehicle and she was rushed to the hospital.
Heche's 20-year-old son Homer Laffoon, from her first marriage to Coley Laffoon, has taken the lead in advocating for the "best care" for his mother, Entertainment Tonight reports.
Ellen DeGeneres, who dated Heche from 1997 to 2000, was asked by paparazzi to react to the incident. The former talk show host said "we're not in touch," but added: "I don’t want anyone to be hurt."