1:03 pm | August 30, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
A medical examiner in Texas has ruled that Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died from an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a report released Friday that Skaggs had the powerful painkillers fentanyl and oxycodone, along with alcohol, in his system.
The autopsy listed the cause of death as a “mixed ethanol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication with terminal aspiration of gastric contents,” which essentially means Skaggs choked on his vomit while under the influence.
Tests showed 38 nanograms per milliliter of oxycodone, an opioid medication prescribed to treat severe pain, and 3.8 nanograms per milliliter of Fentanyl, a pain-killer that is significantly stronger than oxycodone. It also showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.122 percent [a 0.08 percent limit is considered legally impaired].
The 27-year-old Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room in the Dallas area July 1 before the start of what was supposed to be a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. The first game was postponed.
Skaggs’ family released a statement to the Los Angeles Times on Friday.
“We are heartbroken to learn that the passing of our beloved Tyler was the result of a combination of dangerous drugs and alcohol,” the statement said. “That is completely out of character for someone who worked so hard to become a Major League baseball player and had a very promising future in the game he loved so much.
“We are grateful for the work of the detectives in the Southlake Police Department and their ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tyler’s death. We were shocked to learn that it may involve an employee of the Los Angeles Angels. We will not rest until we learn the truth about how Tyler came into possession of these narcotics, including who supplied them. To that end, we have hired attorney Rusty Hardin to assist us.”
Hardin has represented several high-profile athletes, including Roger Clemens during a perjury trial in 2012.
Hardin told the Los Angeles Times it was “way too early” to speculate on any potential legal action by Skaggs’ family.
“I think the thing to keep in mind is they’re just still so devastated, both the wife and the family, about this young man’s death, and they just want to know what happened and how it happened,” Hardin told the Times. “We’re going to want to know how it came about that those drugs were ingested and whether or not others are responsible for what happened.”
Skaggs, a Southern California native, was drafted by the Angels in the first round in 2009 and made his big league debut with Arizona three years later after being traded.
Skaggs returned to the Angels in 2014 and missed all of the next season recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left elbow. He also spent more than three months on the disabled list in 2017 with a right oblique muscle strain. Skaggs was 28-38 with a 4.41 ERA in 96 career appearances, all starts.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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