The Sloansville man who died while sleeping in his car overnight at a friend's house in the Village of Schoharie earlier this month died of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to an autopsy.
Mark Trendell, 35, was found dead in his car in a driveway on Orchard Street in the Village of Schoharie at about 11:40am on the morning of February 9, reported the Schoharie County Sheriff's office.
An autopsy was performed last Tuesday at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady. On Friday, the Sheriff's office learned that Mr. Trendell died of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Sheriff Tony Desmond.
The car in which Mr. Trendell was found was still running and the heat was on when a family member from the home went out to check on him after he had spent the night in the car, police said.
The family member found Mr. Trendell to be unresponsive and a resident from the home called 911. Police and Scho-Wright personnel responded and found that Mr. Trendell had died, police added. Coroner Donna McGovern ordered the body taken to Ellis Hospital for an autopsy.
Foul play was not suspected in the death.
Sheriff Desmond did not expect the cause of death to be exposure since the car was running and the heat was on.
Though the car was outside, the cause of death may have been carbon monoxide poisoning since the windows were down a little and there may have been a problem with the exhaust system of the car, according to Sheriff Desmond. Police have been told that the exhaust was a little loud.
The results of the toxicology portion of the autopsy still have not come back to the Sheriff's office and the Sheriff does not know when they will learn the results of those tests.
Those tests will reveal if there were any other foreign substances in the blood besides carbon monoxide, police added.
Complete autopsy results will determine whether any criminal charges will be filed in the death.
After the death, Sheriff Desmond did not anticipate any charges being filed.
Mr. Trendell's vehicle was in the driveway of the home when the homeowner arrived at about 7:30pm on Saturday, February 8.
Mr. Trendell, according to Sheriff Desmond told the homeowner he was going to sleep in the car that night and the homeowner gave Mr. Trendell permission to stay in the driveway.