Published July 07, 2008 10:28 pm - A man was found dead in a Geneva parking lot early Sunday morning, the apparent victim of respiratory failure, Geneva Police Sgt. Joseph Webb reports.
Man found dead in car Police: Victim has respiratory condition
By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com Star Beacon
GENEVA — A man was found dead in a Geneva parking lot early Sunday morning, the apparent victim of respiratory failure, Geneva Police Sgt. Joseph Webb reports.
“The victim died of natural causes, and no foul play is suspected,” Ashtabula County deputy coroner Pamela Lancaster said.
The constant blaring of a car horn awoke residents in the apartment complex at Route 84 and Sherman Road. The neighbors investigated and found William Kapala, 64, slumped in his car, the standard transmission in neutral and the parking brake on, police reports show.
“(Kapala) was slumped over in the doorway of the vehicle,” Webb said. “I check for a pulse and found him cold to the touch.”
Webb also found an inhaler on the ground by the car. The cap of the inhaler was under the vehicle, Webb said.
“The victim also had another inhaler in his pocket,” Webb said. “He carried a spare.”
Kapala’s car was running and overheating. Webb shut off the engine and noted radiator fluid leaking from under the car, police reports show.
Webb noted Kapala showed no signs of physical injury and his clothes were “not in disarray.” Kapala’s identification listed addresses in Irwin and Ashtabula, police reports show.
Lancaster said preliminary autopsy reports show Kapala died of “a sudden violent respiratory attack.” She also said Kapala had a medical history of asthma and related conditions.
“It appears the victim suffered from a medical condition needing an inhaler,” Webb said. “He pulled off the road, placed the vehicle in neutral, applied the parking brake and then attempted to use his inhaler before collapsing.”
Northwest Ambulance District emergency medical technicians pronounced Kapala dead at the scene. An Ashtabula County Coroner’s Office associate was also at the scene, police reports show.
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