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Actress Anne Heche is under investigation for a felony DUI after crashing her car into a Los Angeles home, which subsequently caught fire last week, CNN reports.
Initially, the incident that occurred on Friday, Aug. 5 was being investigated as a misdemeanor DUI, which is the potential charge in a case when there are no victims involved. However, after results from a blood draw of Heche came in and LAPD learned that there was a victim that was injured, it elevated the investigation to a felony, LAPD police officer Jeff Lee told CNN.
“Her blood showed signs of impairment and that is why it is now being investigated as a felony traffic collision,” Lee said.
“The blood draw results showed a presence of narcotics but additional testing is required to rule out any substances that were administered in the hospital,” Officer Annie Hernandez told CNN.
A woman who was inside the home during the crash suffered minor injuries and sought medical attention, Lee added. On Friday, a victim who survived the crash and asked not to be identified told Rolling Stone, “I’m OK, my dogs are OK, and my turtle is OK, but everything else is gone, and I’m a fucking wreck.”
A rep for Heche did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment. CNN reports a rep confirmed that Heche is in the hospital in critical condition.
The LAPD confirmed the crash is being investigated, led by the West Traffic Division, and that Heche sustained “significant injuries” and is still receiving medical treatment in a statement obtained by Rolling Stoneon Thursday. As part of the investigation, a search warrant was obtained for a blood sample from Heche, as is “common practice for a case in this manner,” it reads. It adds that it is an active and ongoing investigation where evidence is still being gathered, which includes final toxicology results, and “there is no definite direction of which prosecutorial office will be presented with this case until all appropriate and necessary evidence has been gathered accordingly.”
“She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention. She is currently being treated at the Grossman Burn Center,” a spokesperson for Heche told CNN in a statement Monday.
This story was updated at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 11 from its original publish time on Aug. 11 at 5:25 p.m. to include a statement from the LAPD.
