PHILADELPHIA — “Jackass” star Ryan Dunn’s blood
alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit when he fatally
crashed on a Chester County, Pa., highway Monday morning, West Goshen
Township police said.
Toxicology results released Wednesday showed the
34-year-old West Chester resident had a blood alcohol level of 0.196,
well over the state’s limit of .08.
Police said that level of intoxication combined with
the fact Dunn and his passenger, 30-year-old Zachary Hartwell, were
driving at speeds of more than 130 miles per hour likely caused them to
veer off the Route 322 bypass near the Pottstown Pike exit before 3 a.m.
Monday.
The pair was spotted drinking hours before the wreck
at Barnaby’s of America in West Chester, but bar manager James O’Brien
said earlier this week that Dunn did not look intoxicated.
Preliminary autopsy reports released Tuesday showed
that both Dunn and Hartwell died from blunt force trauma and thermal
damage, inflicted by the flames that erupted from the Porsche 911 GT3
moments after the crash.
Curiosity-seekers continued to gather at the crash
site Wednesday leaving flowers and gifts. A private memorial service for
Dunn is expected later this afternoon. Services for Hartwell are
scheduled later this week.
“I hope all kids are listening and will learn a
lesson from this,” said April Margera, mother of Dunn’s “Jackass”
co-star Brandon “Bam” Margera. “No one should take unnecessary chances. I
hope something positive can come from this tragedy.”
In addition to the “Jackass” series, which ran on MTV
between 2000 and 2002, Dunn also appeared on the network’s reality
shows such as “Viva La Bam” and “Homewreckers.” His latest venture —
“Proving Ground,” a show in which Dunn attempted to recreate famous
stunts from video games and movies — premiered on the G4 cable network
last week.
It has since been pulled from the channel’s schedule in deference to Dunn’s death.
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