At the time of his fatal car accident earlier this week, “Jackass” star Ryan Dunn was intoxicated, a West Chester, Pennsylvania, police official confirmed to MTV News. The skater and stuntman had a blood alcohol level of .196 when he got behind the wheel on Monday; the legal limit in Pennsylvania is .08.
A police official also confirmed that Dunn had been driving his Porsche upward of 130 mph when he crashed and died, along with his passenger, Zachary D. Hartwell. No other substances were found in his body.
On Tuesday, police said the investigation into the crash that killed Dunn, 34, and Hartwell, 30, revealed that Dunn’s Porsche may have jumped a guardrail and crashed into a ravine before bursting into flames after the two men left the bar Barnaby’s of America in West Chester. A coroner’s report revealed that both men died of blunt force trauma from the impact of the wreck and burns from the resulting fire.
While toxicology results may prove otherwise, an employee of Barnaby’s told MTV News earlier this week that, the night before the crash, Dunn “didn’t seem intoxicated. He seemed like he was having a good time, hanging out with his friends.” The Barnaby’s worker further noted that Dunn “only had a couple beers here. As far as we’re concerned, the biggest thing, our hearts go out to the family and friends, and his loss is a big loss to our community. The biggest thing we’re worried about is his friends and family.”
Dunn’s longtime pal Bam Margera tearfully spoke to a Fox affiliate in Pennsylvania near the scene of the accident, saying, “I’ve never lost anybody that I care about; he’s my best friend.
“He was the happiest person, the smartest guy with so much talent,” Margera continued. “He had so many things going for him. … It is not right. … It was the worst phone call I ever got in my life.”
MTV News also traveled to Dunn’s adopted hometown of West Chester PA, and found many who remembered the “Jackass” star not for his celebrity status, but rather for his ability to remain modest despite living in the limelight.
“He was real,” said Sam Ford, who was celebrating her 25th birthday at Barnaby’s, the last place Dunn was seen before his crash. Brock Jackson, 31, who said he grew up playing Little League with Bam Margera says Dunn had “truly kind eyes” and “a heart and a half.” He was especially impressed by the well-known resident’s memory, saying, “He remembered every time he met somebody.”
Chip Jordan
loved this dude and i’m truly upset about this still, its not right to drink and drive so i ask that all of you learn from him but i also ask that he not be remembered by his death but by his life!