Trystan Casey
On August 5, 2022, Anne Heche was involved in a car crash that ultimately led to her death on August 11, 2022. Heche, an award-winning actress known for her roles in movies such as Six Days Seven Nights and Donnie Brasco, crashed her blue Mini Cooper into a house in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. The crash sparked a fire that engulfed both the car and the house, and Heche suffered severe burns and critical injuries. While there were speculations about the cause of the crash, with some sources claiming that Heche's electric car was remotely hacked, the incident resulted in an investigation for felony DUI, and Heche's death was ultimately ruled an accident.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the incident | 5 August 2022 |
| Time of the incident | Shortly before 11 a.m. |
| Location | Mar Vista, Los Angeles |
| Vehicle | Blue Mini Cooper |
| Vehicle type | Electric car |
| Incident | Crashed into a house |
| Fire | Broke out after the crash |
| Rescue | Heche was freed from the wreckage at 11:49 a.m. |
| Injuries | Severe burns, pulmonary injury, sternum fracture, kidney laceration |
| Hospital | Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital |
| Coma | Yes |
| Death | 11 August 2022 |
| Cause of death | Inhalation and thermal injuries, with a sternum fracture as a contributing factor |
| Autopsy findings | Burns over 12% of her body |
| Blood work | Presence of fentanyl and cocaine |
| Investigation | Felony DUI and misdemeanor DUI, hit and run |
| Hacking | Suspected |
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What You'll Learn
Anne Heche's electric car was remotely hacked
On 5 August 2022, Anne Heche was behind the wheel of her Mini Cooper when she crashed into a house in the west Los Angeles neighbourhood of Mar Vista. Heche was extracted from the wreckage at 11:49 am, and she was subsequently hospitalised in critical condition with severe burns on her body and face. The actress was caught on a Ring camera speeding through a residential neighbourhood in her blue Mini Cooper.
It has been alleged that Heche's electric car was remotely hacked and controlled by an unknown person before it crashed. This claim is supported by a Motoring Life article, which revealed a security flaw in Mini Cooper cars that made them vulnerable to hacking. Additionally, there were rumours online that Heche's car was targeted because she was set to release a film exposing sex trafficking in Hollywood.
Heche was pronounced brain dead days after her electric Mini Cooper crashed, and she died on 11 August 2022. Her death was ruled an accident, with the autopsy report citing inhalation and thermal injuries, a sternum fracture caused by blunt force, a lacerated right kidney, and burns over 12% of her body as the causes.
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Heche's erratic behaviour before the crash
On Friday, August 12, 2022, Anne Heche died at the age of 53. Her death came a week after crashing her car into a two-story home in Mar Vista, Los Angeles. The woman who lived in the home narrowly escaped death, losing all her possessions in the fire that ensued.
Before the crash, Heche had crashed into a garage in an apartment complex. When witnesses tried to help her, she sped off. Surveillance and Ring video footage obtained by CBSLA and seen by *The Los Angeles Times* showed Heche's car speeding down the street.
Heche's final appearance on her podcast, "Better Together w/ Anne Heche and Heather Duffy," recorded days before the accident, revealed erratic behaviour. She admitted to drinking heavily and could be heard slurring her words. Heche also seemed to be moving her hands around erratically, constantly grabbing at her hair and rocking back and forth.
Heche had a history of alcohol and drug problems. A bottle, which some sources claim contained alcohol, was found in her car at the time of the crash. However, toxicology findings released by the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner on December 6, 2022, revealed that Heche was not impaired by drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. The autopsy report noted that she had a therapeutic amount of fentanyl in her system, which was administered for medical reasons after the crash.
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The aftermath of Heche's death
The aftermath of Anne Heche's death was complicated, with weeks of speculation over the cause of the car crash that ultimately killed her. Heche's eldest son, Homer Laffoon, said in a statement to E! News: "My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom... After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness. Hopefully, my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom." Heche's death triggered a battle to get her affairs in order, as she died without a will. Homer filed a petition to be appointed administrator of her estate, listing himself and his brother, Atlas, as her sole heirs, and estimating her assets to be worth around $400,000. However, Heche's former partner, James Tupper, countered with a petition to be put in charge of her estate, alleging that Heche had emailed him a copy of her will in 2011, naming him as the one she wanted in charge of her assets for the sake of their children.
Heche's death certificate stated that she was cremated on August 18 and listed Hollywood Forever Cemetery as her final resting place. Her private service was held on May 14, nine months after her death, and she was interred at the cemetery's Cathedral Mausoleum. Heche's representative released a statement, saying: "She loved everyone so passionately and deeply, and her children, her legacy, thank everyone for their support and love through this difficult time and are grateful to be able to honor their mother on Mother's Day."
In addition to the legal and personal fallout, Heche's death also raised questions about her mental health and substance use. In a 2001 interview with Barbara Walters, Heche described a night of hospitalization after her public breakup with Ellen DeGeneres, citing it as a turning point in her lifelong struggle with mental illness. While toxicology reports found no evidence of impairment by illicit substances at the time of the crash, Heche's bloodwork did show the presence of benzoylecgonine, an inactive metabolite of cocaine, as well as medications administered during her hospital stay, like fentanyl, and prior marijuana use. The autopsy report concluded that Heche's death was accidental, caused by inhalation and thermal injuries, with a sternal fracture from blunt trauma significantly contributing.
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Heche's history of drug abuse
Anne Heche had a history of drug abuse and mental health issues. She had been open about her struggles, which she attributed to a dark family history. Heche wrote in her 2001 autobiography that she had been sexually abused by her father, and her mother, a Christian therapist who believed homosexuality was a sin, remained silent about the abuse. Heche is bisexual, and this may have contributed to her desire to create a fantasy world.
Heche's mental health issues and substance abuse problems persisted throughout her successful acting and directing career. At times, she seemed to have overcome her struggles, but she was still in the grip of her illness. Instead of empathy and help, she often experienced prejudice and derision. After her death, a former co-worker, Emily Bergl, recalled being asked how it was to work with "crazy Anne Heche." Bergl described Heche as an acting genius who was always "focused and prepared" and applauded her for being honest about her mental health struggles.
Heche's struggles with drug abuse and mental illness were well-documented. In the year 2000, right after breaking up with her long-time partner, comedienne Ellen Degeneres, she went on a days-long bender. During this time, she ditched her SUV on a dusty road in the desert near Fresno, California, and walked until she found the home of a random woman named Araceli Campiz. After being invited inside, she told the sheriff that she was God and that she would take everyone to heaven in a spaceship.
Heche's drug use and mental health issues continued in the years that followed. In the week before her death, she released a podcast in which she said she had been drinking vodka and having "a very bad day." After her fatal car crash in August 2022, she was found to have drugs in her system, including cocaine, cannabinoids, and fentanyl. However, the coroner ruled that these drugs did not impair her or cause her death, which was attributed to inhalation and thermal injuries sustained in the crash.
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The fire that engulfed the car and house
On 5 August 2022, Anne Heche was driving a Mini Cooper in the west Los Angeles neighbourhood of Mar Vista when she crashed into a house. The fire department received a report of the crash shortly before 11 a.m. in the 1800 block of South Walgrove Avenue and Appleton Way. The fire that ensued was significant and engulfed both the car and the house.
Heche was rescued from the wreckage at 11:49 a.m. First responders at the scene initially believed that she was dead, as flames had engulfed both the car and the house. However, when they pulled the car out, they discovered that she was still alive. She was placed on a gurney, but she woke up and began to flail about, attempting to get off. Her face and body were covered with a white cloth, presumably to aid her burned skin.
The fire that engulfed the car and the house caused extensive damage to both. The house belonged to Lynne Mishele, who lost all her possessions and mementos in the fire. The woman who rents the home narrowly escaped death, according to a witness, Roy Morgen. He told CBSLA that the Mini Cooper rammed right through the room the woman was sitting in. The homeowner returned to have the gutted property boarded up and was too distraught to speak on camera.
Heche suffered severe burns and was thought to be under the influence and acting erratically. She was taken to the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital, where she slipped into a coma and died on 11 August 2022. The autopsy report listed the cause of death as inhalation and thermal injuries, with a sternum fracture caused by blunt force as a significant contributing factor.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Anne Heche was driving an electric Mini Cooper.
Anne Heche was involved in a car crash in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles on 5 August 2022. She crashed into a house, sparking a fire that engulfed both the car and the house.
Anne Heche was initially hospitalised and placed on life support following the crash. She died of her injuries on 11 August 2022.
There are several speculations about the cause of the crash. Some sources mention that Heche was under the influence and acting erratically before the crash. There are also reports that her car was remotely hacked and controlled by an unknown person.
The resident of the house, Lynne Mishele, lost her home and all her possessions in the fire. She was fortunate to escape with her life, as the car crashed into the room she was sitting in.
