Former Phillies ace Roy Halladay tragically passed away in November in a plane accident. The cause of death and other details were released from his autopsy.
When former Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay’s plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico back in November, causing the death of a franchise icon, specific details about the accident were not known. Now we know a little bit more about what happened leading up to the crash.
USA Today obtained Halladay’s autopsy performed by the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner’s Office. Unsurprisingly, the cause of death was blunt force trauma, likely caused by the crash, with drowning as a contributing factor.
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The autopsy also revealed that he had morphine, an amphetamine, the antidepressant Prozac, and Ambien all in his system at the time of his death. He also had a .01 blood alcohol content. The FAA requires that pilots not consume any alcohol within eight hours of flying.
The New York Daily News also reports that Halladay had 72 ng/mL of Zolpidem, an insomnia drug, in his body.
The FDA says that 50 ng/mL is enough to impair a driver to the point of causing a crash. It is unknown if these drugs were prescribed by a doctor.
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National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Terry Williams said that the investigation into the crash is still ongoing. A preliminary report stated that before it crashed, Halladay’s plane made several steep climbs before coming just a few feet above the water several times. It also made a 360 degree turn before the crash. This was based off GPS and videos from nearby boaters at the time of the crash.
Halladay’s death rocked the baseball world when it happened. His former teammates, coaches, and basically anyone that knew him all felt the impact.
His funeral was held at Philadelphia’s spring training complex in Clearwater, Fla., where Halladay worked with many of the team’s prospects as a mental skills coach.
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Halladay won two Cy Youngs and was named to eight All-Star Games during his 16-year career. He was one of just two pitchers to throw a no-hitter in the playoffs. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2019 is almost a lock to get in on the first ballot.