Toledo Man's Death Apparently Due to Natural Causes, Not Car Crash

Local authorities say the death of a Toledo man appears to have been due to natural causes.

A passerby noticed a lone vehicle in a field adjacent to 2100th Street, about one mile north of US 40 in the northeastern part of Effingham County about 8:30am Friday.  Effingham County sheriff's deputies and emergency medical services were sent to the scene.  Deputies found the vehicle to have only minor damage and the lone occupant, the driver of the vehicle, unresponsive and believed dead. 

The Effingham County Coroner's Office was notified and responded to the scene.  The driver, 61-year-old John H. Ward of Toledo, was pronounced dead at the scene.

An initial investigation indicated Ward died due to natural causes and foul play and injuries from the traffic crash are not suspected as causes.  An autopsy was conducted Friday and the initial findings concurred with a natural cause death.  Final autopsy results and toxicology tests are pending.

The investigation continues by the Coroner's Office and the Effingham County Sheriff's Department.