An autopsy has determined that jockey Chris Antley died as a result of an accidental overdose.
The death of jockey Chris Antley has been ruled an accidental overdose by the Los Angeles County coroner. In a report finalized Thursday, the coroner attributed Antley's death to multiple drug intoxication. Initially, Pasadena, Ca., police ruled the jockey's death a homicide after finding his body face down in a hallway of his Pasadena home Dec. 2.Four drugs were found present in Antley's body, according to toxicology tests performed by the coroner. Clobenzorex, a gel tablet filled with powder, was detected in him. Coroner spokesman Scott Carrier said that it was the first time "this office has seen this medication. It is unclear where it is manufactured because it is unavailable in the United States. Apparently it is commonly used among jockeys for weight control." Carrier added that Clobenzorex breaks down into amphetamine.Methamphetamine was also found in Antley, although the method of ingestion was unclear. Also present were Paxil, an anti-depressant, and Tegretol, an anti-seizure medication.Because numerous lacerations, contusions, and abrasions were found by Pasadena police when they discovered Antley's body, they believed the wounds were consistent with him being struck with an object, leading them to believe it was a homicide. However, neuropathology tests conducted by the coroner determined that none of those cuts were serious enough to be the cause of his death. There was not enough significant trauma or any fractures of the skull.Dr. Louis Pena, deputy medical examiner with the Los Angeles County coroner's office, returned to Antley's residence and spent hours there with Pasadena police. He recovered a number of gel medication tablets scattered about the premises and brought them back to the lab. He also found numerous areas in the house with blood spattered about. The coroner's report said that Antley apparently became delusional from the combination of drugs and fell in various locations around the house, causing the superficial cuts to his head."By taking amphetamine a person can develop a psychosis and become delusional, and that was consistent with the scene found by Pasadena police the night of the death," Carrier said. "In addition, the heart can develop arrhythmia from amphetamine."Antley's wife, Natalie Jowett, was notified of the coroner's conclusion while she was in the hospital Jan. 11 giving birth to the couple's child.
