CHP Officer Miguel Cano died July 1 after officials said he died after a medical emergency caused his patrol car to swerve into a tree. (California Highway Patrol)
Shortly after injecting naloxone into a DUI suspect who may have overdosed, CHP Officer Miguel Cano began feeling ill and his patrol car swerved into a tree, killing him. His sudden death leaves many unanswered questions.
On Monday, part of the mystery was revealed – his death was ruled an accident caused by the effects of fentanyl, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
But exactly how Cano ingested the fatal amount of fentanyl remains unclear. A CHP spokesman said that out of respect for Cano’s family and the integrity of the review process, the agency would not comment until it has “thoroughly examined” the medical examiner’s report.
Cano, a 34-year-old man from Moreno Valley, suffered a medical emergency that led to a crash while driving in Culver City around 12:30 a.m. on July 2, according to a California Highway Patrol statement in July.
He and his partner had just detained a DUI suspect, and the three were driving to the nearby CHP office in West Los Angeles. The suspects also allegedly had firearms, possible cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
Concerned that the suspect might have overdosed, Cano injected him with Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of opioids. On the way to the office, Cano told his partner he wasn’t feeling well.
Their vehicle ran off the road and hit a tree. Cano was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead around 1:40 a.m. The suspect and another officer survived the incident without serious injuries.
In July, the CHP said the agency’s accident investigation team was leading the investigation into the incident, but investigators had ruled out drug exposure.
“We do not believe this was drug exposure,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in July. “The other officer and the subject did not exhibit any signs or symptoms related to this.”
Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid that can be fatal in extremely small doses. However, a person cannot be killed simply by physical contact with the substance.
“There is a common misconception that fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin, but that is not true for incidental exposure to fentanyl,” said Dr. Daniel Colby, co-medical director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Health. “One situation in which fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin is with the use of a special fentanyl skin patch prescribed by a doctor, and even then, it requires a few hours of exposure.”
Colby said it’s important for people to understand that fentanyl cannot be absorbed through contact so they are not afraid to intervene if they witness an overdose.
“Pausing or waiting for others to arrive means that person could die,” he said. “They need our help to help them be safe.”
Cano’s death is the CHP’s first line-of-duty death since 2020. Governor Newsom called the death “a heartbreaking loss for the state of California and the California Highway Patrol.” The officer graduated from the CHP Academy in 2023 and is survived by his wife and parents.
“We are saddened by the passing of Officer Cano, who gave his life in service to the people of California,” Dury said at the time of Cano’s death. “His dedication, courage and commitment to public safety will never be forgotten.”
Times staff writer Jasmine Mendez contributed to this report.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
