Anne Heche had drugs in her system when she died in a fiery car crash, but they didn't impair her or cause her death, coroner says

• Anne Heche had drugs in her system when she died, a coroner has found.
• The coroner said the drugs didn't impair her or cause her death.

Anne Heche had drugs in her system when she died in a car crash in August, but the presence of drugs did not impair her or cause her death, a Los Angeles coroner said.

Heche drove her car into a Los Angeles home on August 5, causing a fire that ultimately caused her to be declared brain dead August 11.

She tested positive for cocaine, cannabinoids, and fentanyl in a urine test performed at UCLA Ronald Reagan hospital following the crash, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner from Tuesday that was reviewed by Insider.

A blood test taken when Heche arrived at the hospital showed evidence of benzoylecgonine, the inactive metabolite of cocaine, in Heche's body, which means she had used the drug in the past but hadn't used it at the time of the crash, the report said.

The same goes for the cannabinoids, which were detected in Heche's urine, not blood, which is "consistent with prior use, but not at the time of the injury," a spokesperson for the LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner's office said.

The presence of fentanyl came from the drug being given to Heche at the hospital, the spokesperson said, which makes it "consistent with therapeutic use."

There was no alcohol found in Heche's system.

Coroners ruled Heche's death an accident caused by inhalation and thermal injuries. According to the coroner's report, Heche was stuck in her car — which was on fire — for 30 minutes before responders were able to get her out safely.

The report added that a sternal fracture from the accident "significantly contributed to death" because it prohibited Heche from breathing properly.

Inhalation injuries caused "changes to the respiratory system that decreases the intake of oxygen needed to sustain life," resulting in anoxic brain injury, which is an injury sustained "due to lack of oxygen," the report said.