Police Agree Skater’s Death Was Not Caused by Paint Balls
The Newport Beach Police Department announced Thursday it is closing its investigation into the death earlier this year of an inline skater, concurring with the coroner that the man does not appear to have died as the result of a paint-ball attack.
Gary Michael Holdren, 54, of Newport Beach died after spending two weeks in a coma following a skating accident in Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve on March 24. Because of evidence found at the scene and on his body, police initially speculated that he had been hit by paint balls.
Based on an autopsy, the coroner’s office attributed the death to “blunt head trauma” and classified it as an accident. Police officials announced they agreed and that the department uncovered no evidence that paint balls caused Holdren to fall.
“If some new and relevant evidence were to come forward, the investigation would be reopened,” department spokesman Sgt. Steve Shulman said.
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