Anne Heche is “not expected to survive” the injuries she sustained after crashing her car into a Los Angeles home last Friday.
A representative for Heche told People that the actress suffered “a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition” as of Thursday night.
“It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she’s being kept on life support to determine if any are viable,” the representative added.
The crash caused the home to catch on fire, and it took 59 firefighters over an hour to battle the blaze and safely pull Heche out of the wreckage. Heche was initially able to communicate, but lost consciousness a short time later. In a previous statement, Heche’s representative said that she suffered “a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.”
Police are currently investigating the cause of the crash, and according to TMZ a preliminary toxicology report indicated the presence of cocaine in her system. The blood sample also showed the presence of fentanyl, but it’s unclear at this time if the drug was administered by hospital staff after the crash or taken by Heche beforehand.
As a result of the toxicology report, the Los Angeles Police Department is considering filing a felony DUI charge against Heche if she does survive. She is also facing possible hit-and-run charges, as she was involved in another incident earlier on Friday, when she crashed her car into the garage of an apartment complex, reversed, and then sped off.
