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Burning car victim died of smoke inhalation, VA police say
The Roanoke Times, Va. (July 24, 2008)Jul. 24--The driver of a car found burning early Wednesday morning in Bedford died from smoke inhalation, officials said.
Bedford police Chief James Day said that officers and fire crews responded about 12:30 a.m. to a possible explosion on Ole Turnpike Drive, off U.S. 460 near the western city limits.
According to a police statement, the car left the road for unknown reasons, came to rest in a field and caught fire. The victim was unable to get out of the car after the crash. Firefighters found a body in the car while extinguishing the fire.
By midday, police had identified the car, which was registered in another state, Day said. The department would not release any details until they had contacted the owner or the owner's family. The victim's identity has not been confirmed yet because of the severity of the damage.
Earlier Wednesday, prior to obtaining a cause of death, Day said police were treating the incident as a suspicious death. He did not say Wednesday afternoon whether investigators still considered the crash the result of foul play or describe how the wreck happened.
The fire occurred within a quarter-mile of a state police station at the intersection of U.S. 460 and Ole Turnpike Drive. Medical offices and a Super 8 Motel are located on the street.
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Copyright (c) 2008, The Roanoke Times, Va.
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