A former minor league baseball player killed in a South Bay crash had drugs in his system and a blood alcohol content of nearly three times the legal limit, according to a newly released medical examiner’s report.
Christian Franco, 37, was killed in an early morning collision on February 14 as he drove his Jaguar along State Route 125.
The California Highway Patrol said north of San Miguel Road, he plowed into a guardrail, which tore the driver’s side of his car open and threw him onto the pavement.
On Monday, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office released their full autopsy findings, revealing that Franco had a blood alcohol level of 0.21 percent. The legal California driving limit is 0.08 percent.
According to the toxicology report, Franco’s blood also tested positive for cocaine and marijuana.
The medical examiner determined his cause of death to be blunt force injuries.
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The CHP said after Franco’s Jaguar struck the guardrail, a Toyota sedan smashed into his car, possibly hitting Franco as well.
That caused a pile-up in which a Hummer H3 hit the Toyota and Franco, and a Honda Civic collided with the Toyota.
No one else was injured in the crash, but the driver of the Hummer was arrested for suspected misdemeanor DUI.
Franco was a baseball outfielder on the 1999 National Championship team at California State University, Chico.
He went on to play in the minor league, according to his family.
