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Coroner: Hastings’ death ruled ‘accident’

Michael Hastings' death in a car crash in Los Angeles this summer was an "accident," according to a recently released autopsy report from the Los Angeles coroner's office.

The coroner's office said that Hastings died of "traumatic injuries" as a result of the car crash, according to a Los Angeles Times report. It also found that Hastings had "traces of amphetamine in his system, consistent with possible intake of methamphetamine many hours before death, as well as marijuana," though neither were believed to be a factor in the crash.

Hastings had recently started using drugs after 14 years of stated sobriety and his "family was attempting to get him to go to detox," the report stated. Hours before the crash, which took place at 5 a.m. in Hancock Park, Hastings was seen "passed out."

(Also on POLITICO: FBI denies Hastings investigation)

Hastings' death spawned a number of conspiracy theories, including rumors that he had been killed by federal officials because of his reporting on the National Security Agency or his 2010 Rolling Stone profile of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, which ultimately led to the General's resignation. The FBI has said that Hastings was never under investigation.

The full L.A. Times report here.

Correction: The initial headline on this item inaccurately stated that Hastings' death had been linked to drug use. The coroner determined that Hastings had drugs in his system, but stated that this was not a factor in the crash.

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