May 18, 2012PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Authorities have ruled alcohol was behind a fatal crash in May that saw a motorist lose control of his control and veer off the roadway into an irrigation canal.
The man found in the car submerged in an Avondale canal on May 18 was 27-year-old Derek Limon.
In reports released Monday, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said Limon had a blood alcohol content of .23 percent. No alcohol was found in the vehicle, MCSO said. [Click here to read the full accident reports (PDF)]
The medical examiner ruled drowning was the cause of death and that it was an accident. Levetiracetam, a drug used for people who have seizures, was in the driver's body, the medical examiner said. His seizure medication was found in the glove compartment of the vehicle.
Authorities said Derek has been traveling northbound on 99th Avenue just after 3 a.m. Sheriff's deputies said for no apparent reason, the vehicle began to skid in the northbound median lane just south of Thomas.
The vehicle entered the canal and flipped over onto its roof. The front windows were partially rolled down, which allowed water to quickly pour in, causing the vehicle to sink, deputies said.
Avondale police arrived and tried to get to the car, but fast water flows stymied their attempts, said Detective Reuben Gonzales of the Avondale Police Department.
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