Anne Heche Crash: LAPD investigates possible drug use

The LAPD is investigating whether Anne Heche was under the influence of drugs when her car crashed into a home in Mar Vista last Friday, leaving her in a coma with severe burns.

Heche’s blood showed the presence of narcotics, Los Angeles Police Officer Jeff Lee said. But the blood draw was carried out after Heche was treated in hospital, raising the possibility that the drugs had been administered as part of her treatment. A second test must be performed to rule out this possibility.

Heche is in an “extremely critical condition,” her representatives said on Monday. Heche crashed her Mini Cooper into a home on the 1700 block of Walgrove Avenue in West Los Angeles, starting a fire that took more than an hour to extinguish.

TMZ reported Thursday that Heche was under the influence of cocaine and possibly fentanyl at the time of the crash. The outlet reported that investigators were trying to determine if the fentanyl was a by-product of her hospital treatment.

The LAPD said Thursday it would submit a completed investigation to either the Los Angeles County Attorney’s Office or the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for possible charges. The public prosecutor’s office handles administrative offense proceedings in the city. TMZ had also reported that investigators were considering the case a felony DUI because a resident of the home had been injured. But the department said it didn’t make that decision.

“At the time of this press release, there is no clear direction as to which prosecutor’s office this case will be presented to until all appropriate and necessary evidence has been appropriately gathered,” the department said.

The department also stressed that the investigation is ongoing and a final toxicological report is not yet available.