On July4, 2013, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to SW Cypress Rd. to investigate a vehicle fire. At approximately 4:00 am., Columbia County Fire Department and CCSO units arrived on scene to find a Chevrolet pickup on fire near the roadway. Upon the fire being extinguished, a male subject, and the only occupant, was found deceased in the car. There was no indication that a vehicle crash occurred.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office and the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office are jointly investigating this case. At this time, there are no indications of foul play and the death is being investigated as accidental. The name of the deceased is not being released pending identification by the Medical Examiner’s Office in Jacksonville, FL.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Crime Scene technicians in the collection of potential evidence. An autopsy of the deceased was scheduled for Friday, July 5, 2013. The initial autopsy results and cause of death will be made available once the information is returned to the Sheriff’s Office.
