Office of the Boulder County Coroner
5610 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, Colorado 80301 - 303.441.3535 - Fax: 303.441.4535
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 471 - Boulder, Colorado 80306 - ywww.bouldercount
Name: Polfuss, Logan Autopsy Report # 2018-1578-A
Date of Birth: 08/11/1995 Age: 23 years Investigation # 2018-1578-A
Date and Time of Pronouncement: 10/19/2018; 1000 Hours Identified by: Tattoos
Date, Time, Place of Autopsy: 10/19/2018; 1230 Hours Boulder County Coroner's Office
Pathologist: Daniel Lingamfelter, D.O. Assistant: Katie Becker
OPINION
DIAGNOSIS:
1. Multiple blunt force injuries:
A. Superior parietal subarachnoid hemorrhage and comminuted fracture of the C7 vertebra.
B. _ Bilateral pulmonary contusions, thoracic inferior vena cava laceration, sternal fracture, and
multiple rib fractures.
C. Left hemothorax (900 ml) and bilateral renal pallor.
D. Fractures of left tibia and left fibula.
E. Bilateral conjunetival and periorbital petechiae.
Il, History that the subject fell while skydiving,
IIL. History that the subject was not using proper equipment, did not have his equipment up to standards, and
id not have enough personal free-fall experience for the type of suit used, per information provided by
the Federal Aviation Administration.
TOXICOLOGY:
Negative.
CAUSE OF DEATH: Multiple blunt force injuries.
MANNER OF DEATH: Accident,
Ewa R. HALL Daniel Lingamfelter, D..
Coroner Forensic PathologistPolfuss, Logan Office of the Boulder County Coroner
2018-1578-A.
PERSONS PRESENT AT AUTOPSY
Kayci Vigil, Boulder County Coroner Pathology Technician; Tahlia Cristobal, Boulder County
Coroner Death Investigator; and Detectives Steve Ainsworth and Sam Yaffe, representing the
Boulder County Sheriff's Office.
GROSS EXAMINATION:
GENERAL EXAMINATION
‘The body is that of a normally-developed, well-nourished, adult White male who weighs 195 Ibs,
is 69 inches in length, and appears compatible with the reported age of 23 years. A Boulder
County Coroner identification tag is around the right ankle.
The body is received clad in two gray shoes, two black socks, a pair of gray jeans, a black watch-
like device around the right wrist, two black gloves, a gray short-sleeved t-shirt, a pair of
multicolored shark-print underwear, and a gray identification band around the left wrist. The
body is accompanied by multiple items of skydiving gear including an orange parachute and a
blue jumpsuit (see property inventory list). Personal effects include a white cell phone and a
Wisconsin driver’s license.
A tox box is completed and sent to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Multiple radiographs are taken and examined,
EXTERNAL EXAMINATION
There is good preservation in the absence of embalming. Rigor mortis is fully developed in all
extremities and the jaw. The body is slightly warm to touch. Readily unfixed dark pink-purple
lividity extends over the posterior body surfaces, except in areas exposed to pressure. The
deceased has dark blond, slightly wavy scalp hair averaging 5 inches in maximum length. The
irides appear blue, and the corneae are clear. The ears, nose, lips, and extemal auditory canals are
unremarkable. The mouth has natural teeth in good condition. The decedent has a blond
mustache. The external genitalia and perineum are unremarkable.
6 inch dark ink tattoo of a written passage beginning with “If the adventure...” is on the
inferolateral left chest. A 3 % inch dark ink tattoo of a heart, infinity symbol, and “A+L” is on
the upper posterolateral right thigh.
Besides the evidence of injury to be described, the remainder of the external examination of the
body is unremarkable.Polfuss, Logan Office of the Boulder County Coroner
2018-1578-A
EVIDENCE OF INJURY
MULTIPLE BLUNT FORCE INJURIES
1. Head and neck:
Bilateral superior and inferior bulbar and palpebral conjunctival petechiae are present. Bilateral
periorbital petechiae are identified.
‘No subscalpular or subgaleal hemorthages are present,
Focal superior parietal subarachnoid hemorrhage is identified. No epidural or subdural
hemorrhage is present.
No skull fractures are present.
No grossly apparent cerebral injuries are identified.
No external injuries of the neck are identified. Internal examination reveals an anterior
comminuted fracture of the C7 vertebra, with generalized prevertebral fascial hemorthage. The
hhyoid bone and larynx are intact. The tongue is normal.
W. Trunk:
‘A.1/8 inch dark red abrasion is on the lateral upper right chest. A 1/16 inch dark red abrasion is
immediately superior to the right nipple. A 4 inch area of dark pink-red abrasions is in the
midline of the lumbar back, An 8 inch area bearing sparse dark pink-red abrasions extends from
the right lumbar back to the superior right buttock.
Bilateral pulmonary contusions are present. The thoracic inferior vena cava is lacerated. Bilateral
renal pallor is noted.
The left pleural cavity contains 900 ml of frank blood. The other body cavities contain no
abnormal collections of fluid.
The sternum bears a transverse fracture at the level of the 4" ribs. The left 1" and 2” ribs bear
paravertebral fractures while anterior fractures of the left 2" through 6" ribs are identified.
I. Extremities:
A.1/8 inch dark red abrasion overlies the proximal interphalangeal joint of the right 5" finger.
‘The feet are covered in petechiae.
Open, complete fractures of the distal left tibia and left fibula are present.