Anne Heche - 53 - dies after fiery car crash in Los Angeles August 5 2022

[BeginnerSleuther]

Perhaps she was simply in a manic state, and the hairdresser did not pick up on it because he did not know Anne and her baseline? Maybe to him it just looked like a regularly animated and outgoing actor.

No indication of mania. Mania doesn't happen suddenly. It builds. I think if she was manic, we'd have heard something.

 

[NCWatcher]

No indication of mania. Mania doesn't happen suddenly. It builds. I think if she was manic, we'd have heard something.

I generally agree. I'm not at all sure mania is the explanation. But do we know who saw her in the day or two before the crash? I've not heard about anyone except 1. Heather D when recording the podcast on Tuesday 2. the hairdresser about 20-30 minutes before the Friday crashes. Since he didn't know her (and initially mistook her for another actress) she could have been manic and he might not have realized it during their very brief interaction. He said it was only about 10 minutes long and he was doing another customer's hair while she was there.
JMO

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I generally agree. I'm not at all sure mania is the explanation. But do we know who saw her in the day or two before the crash? I've not heard about anyone except 1. Heather D when recording the podcast on Tuesday 2. the hairdresser about 20-30 minutes before the Friday crashes. Since he didn't know her (and initially mistook her for another actress) she could have been manic and he might not have realized it during their very brief interaction. He said it was only about 10 minutes long and he was doing another customer's hair while she was there.
JMO

I guess I don't understand the relevance though. Mania doesn't make you crash your car. It can make you impulsive, sure, but so can a dozen other things. Some patients do crash when they're manic, but many other crash when they're not manic. I think that when it comes to mental illness, blaming behavior on a mental health condition in the absence of any indication of it, perpetuates stigma. Mental illness seems to be a catch-all for the public to explain anything they can't explain any other way and it just makes me sad.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Anne Heche will be laid to rest at historic Hollywood cemetery

Actor Anne Heche will be laid to rest at a storied Los Angeles cemetery alongside many Hollywood luminaries.

www.detroitnews.com

Los Angeles — Actor Anne Heche has been laid to rest at a storied Los Angeles cemetery alongside many Hollywood luminaries, her family said Tuesday.

Heche was cremated and her ashes were placed in a mausoleum at Hollywood Forever Cemetery nearly two weeks after she was declared dead at a hospital from injuries suffered in a fiery car crash.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Heche's son Homer Laffoon said he and her other son Atlas Tupper “are convinced our Mom would love the site we have chosen for her; it's beautiful, serene and she will be among her Hollywood peers."...

 

[BeachSky]

Anne Heche Was Reportedly In Debt Before Her Car Crash

Months before her fatal car crash, actress Anne Heche reportedly was accused of failing to keep up payments on a debt financing plan...

theblast.com

I think only those who were very close to her might be able to (possibly) piece together the what and why.
That said,it must be such unimaginable pressure that every & anything you do is up for public scrutiny.

JMO

 

[NCWatcher]

I guess I don't understand the relevance though. Mania doesn't make you crash your car. It can make you impulsive, sure, but so can a dozen other things. Some patients do crash when they're manic, but many other crash when they're not manic. I think that when it comes to mental illness, blaming behavior on a mental health condition in the absence of any indication of it, perpetuates stigma. Mental illness seems to be a catch-all for the public to explain anything they can't explain any other way and it just makes me sad.

I understand but I don't know that that's the main issue raised, at least it's not for me. It's more a matter of wanting to understand what happened which, I think, is natural.

This wasn't a simple to understand crash like those seen with inexperienced young drivers, or on high-speed crowded roads or on notoriously dangerous curvy mountain roads or in weather with poor visibility or as a result of "drag racing" or so far as we know, due to alcohol (esp after not looking drunk 20 min before) or any other "not really surprising" crash we hear about. It was reported Anne also came close to hitting a pedestrian, did hit a Jaguar, hit the apartment building and then hit the home. That speaks to some sort of unusual impairment (to me.) And Anne did have a history of some mental health issues. Perhaps suggesting there could be a mental health cause for the accident creates stigma. I wouldn't think so-- to me it's no different from suspecting a blood sugar problem if someone faints if we know the person has a history of diabetes. Both look to a known history for clues. And reckless behavior may be seen with mania and one DSM criterion can include that:

"Excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments)"

I don't know that mania was likely. But I do wonder what went on on Wed and Thurs before the crash.

 JMO

 

[Dotta]

I understand but I don't know that that's the main issue raised, at least it's not for me. It's more a matter of wanting to understand what happened which, I think, is natural.

This wasn't a simple to understand crash like those seen with inexperienced young drivers, or on high-speed crowded roads or on notoriously dangerous curvy mountain roads or in weather with poor visibility or as a result of "drag racing" or so far as we know, due to alcohol (esp after not looking drunk 20 min before) or any other "not really surprising" crash we hear about. It was reported Anne also came close to hitting a pedestrian, did hit a Jaguar, hit the apartment building and then hit the home. That speaks to some sort of unusual impairment (to me.) And Anne did have a history of some mental health issues. Perhaps suggesting there could be a mental health cause for the accident creates stigma. I wouldn't think so-- to me it's no different from suspecting a blood sugar problem if someone faints if we know the person has a history of diabetes. Both look to a known history for clues. And reckless behavior may be seen with mania and one DSM criterion can include that:

"Excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments)"

I don't know that mania was likely. But I do wonder what went on on Wed and Thurs before the crash.

 JMO

The answer seems to be:
Cocaine + fentanyl.
As was reported.
MOO

 

[NCWatcher]

The answer seems to be:
Cocaine + fentanyl.
As was reported.
MOO

But as some stated above, do we have a more official source than the TMZ report? The only thing I've read said the LAPD had questions about whether the fentanyl was administered at the hospital. Was that question ever answered?
JMO

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I understand but I don't know that that's the main issue raised, at least it's not for me. It's more a matter of wanting to understand what happened which, I think, is natural.

This wasn't a simple to understand crash like those seen with inexperienced young drivers, or on high-speed crowded roads or on notoriously dangerous curvy mountain roads or in weather with poor visibility or as a result of "drag racing" or so far as we know, due to alcohol (esp after not looking drunk 20 min before) or any other "not really surprising" crash we hear about. It was reported Anne also came close to hitting a pedestrian, did hit a Jaguar, hit the apartment building and then hit the home. That speaks to some sort of unusual impairment (to me.) And Anne did have a history of some mental health issues. Perhaps suggesting there could be a mental health cause for the accident creates stigma. I wouldn't think so-- to me it's no different from suspecting a blood sugar problem if someone faints if we know the person has a history of diabetes. Both look to a known history for clues. And reckless behavior may be seen with mania and one DSM criterion can include that:

"Excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments)"

I don't know that mania was likely. But I do wonder what went on on Wed and Thurs before the crash.

 JMO

So this is what I do for a living and here's what I see. For every instance of "maybe it was mental illness" to explain every tragedy/bad thing (even if the person had a history of mental illness), leads to another person with mental health struggles fearing seeking help or disclosure because of the misconceptions about mental illness that perpetuates. It happens all the time. Every time a crime happens or an accident or someone does something wrong, one of the top theories is mental illness.

This isn't a new problem, certainly. In the United States, we did such an astoundingly poor job of educating ourselves and others on mental illness that we somehow convinced ourselves it was okay to do unspeakable things to the mentally ill, and it takes more time than has been given to overcome that.

We also have two extremes (in the world in general, not here on Websleuths) -- the extreme on one side where everyone has some type of mental illness and nothing's wrong with that and the extreme on the other side where all mentally ill people are responsible for everything bad that happens in the world. It'll take some time for the middle to gain ground.

In the meantime, I prefer to look at the obvious in cases like this and if there isn't an obvious, then chalk it up to a tragic accident we may never fully understand rather than theorize on mania which, in my experience, does more harm than good. JMO.

 

[NCWatcher]

So this is what I do for a living and here's what I see. For every instance of "maybe it was mental illness" to explain every tragedy/bad thing (even if the person had a history of mental illness), leads to another person with mental health struggles fearing seeking help or disclosure because of the misconceptions about mental illness that perpetuates. It happens all the time. Every time a crime happens or an accident or someone does something wrong, one of the top theories is mental illness.

This isn't a new problem, certainly. In the United States, we did such an astoundingly poor job of educating ourselves and others on mental illness that we somehow convinced ourselves it was okay to do unspeakable things to the mentally ill, and it takes more time than has been given to overcome that.

We also have two extremes (in the world in general, not here on Websleuths) -- the extreme on one side where everyone has some type of mental illness and nothing's wrong with that and the extreme on the other side where all mentally ill people are responsible for everything bad that happens in the world. It'll take some time for the middle to gain ground.

In the meantime, I prefer to look at the obvious in cases like this and if there isn't an obvious, then chalk it up to a tragic accident we may never fully understand rather than theorize on mania which, in my experience, does more harm than good. JMO.

Fair enough. But there's also the perspective that to normalize mental illness we should treat it as any other illness. We don't avoid taking about diabetes, or obesity, or heart disease. We don't even avoid talking about how lifestyle choices impact those conditions even though talking might make some people feel criticized and lead them to not seek treatment. And if TMZ is correct and it was cocaine and fentanyl that "caused" the crash, substance abuse is also a mental illness.
JMO

 

[PrairieWind]

She was the renter. She would only get an insurance pay out if she had renters insurance.

The renter will get a settlement from AH's insurance.

 

[NCWatcher]

The renter will get a settlement from AH's insurance.

Not much because if that insurance also goes to reimburse the property owner.

 

[ktm44]

But as some stated above, do we have a more official source than the TMZ report? The only thing I've read said the LAPD had questions about whether the fentanyl was administered at the hospital. Was that question ever answered?
JMO

Sadly, TMZ starts the rumours and other sources seem to quote them until rumour becomes accepted fact. The only official statement from LAPD that I'm aware of is that the investigation relating to any charges ended when AH died.

 

[IceIce9]

Not much because if that insurance also goes to reimburse the property owner.

The renter will certainly be able to sue the estate for emotional distress.

 

[PrairieWind]

Not much because if that insurance also goes to reimburse the property owner.

No, AH's insurance would have to pay the renter's claim for her own damages. The damage to the physical building is sustained by the owner for sure, but the renter has her own damages

 

[NCWatcher]

No, AH's insurance would have to pay the renter's claim for her own damages. The damage to the physical building is sustained by the owner for sure, but the renter has her own damages

True. But there are policy limits.

 

[IceIce9]

True. But there are policy limits.

I am sure the renter will receive a generous settlement from the estate.

 

[ilovewings]

Agree
There is no note, no evidence of suicide

Janis Joplin's death was considered accidental....
John Belushi, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Whitney Houston...
There is a difference between being self destructive and suicidal..

Self destructive behavior often occurs in people who have substance issues etc. However, it is a slow train-wreck of high risk behavior and it is not considered suicide.

And in Anne's case, there is no evidence that drugs killed her. There is reason to believe she may have been driving while impaired, but she likely did not ingest anything with the intention of committing suicide. Additionally, I don't think she would intentionally drive into someone's home.

Your post makes so much sense. Yes there is a difference between self destructive behavior and suicide.

 

[PrairieWind]

Oh yes. So hopefully AH had high limits, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did not. Regardless, there are going to be lots of claims filed against her estate.

True. But there are policy limits.

 

[GatorFL]

Oh yes. So hopefully AH had high limits, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did not. Regardless, there are going to be lots of claims filed against her estate.

Max auto limits here are 100/300/100. That house will cost more than that to repair. I wonder what the subrogation suits will look like in this one?