CHP Officer Dies of Fentanyl Exposure After DUI Stop: Accident Ruled
CHP Officer’s Death Ruled Accidental Following Fentanyl Exposure
Shortly after administering Narcan to a DUI suspect experiencing a possible overdose, California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Cano began to feel unwell, swerved his patrol car into a tree, and was killed. His sudden death in July left many questions unanswered.
On Monday, February 24, 2026, the L.A. County medical examiner ruled his cause of death an accident due to the effects of fentanyl, according to reports.
However, the exact manner in which Officer Cano ingested a lethal amount of fentanyl remains unclear. A spokesperson for the CHP stated that the agency is refraining from commenting until it has “thoroughly examined” the medical examiner’s report, out of respect for Cano’s family and the integrity of the review process.
Officer Cano, 34, of Moreno Valley, suffered a medical emergency while driving in Culver City around 12:30 a.m. On July 2, 2025, resulting in a crash, according to a July statement from the California Highway Patrol.
He and his partner had just taken a DUI suspect into custody. The suspect was allegedly in possession of a firearm, possible cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. Fearing the suspect could be overdosing, Officer Cano administered Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of opioids.
While en route to the West L.A. CHP office, Cano told his partner he didn’t feel well. Their vehicle then went off the roadway and struck a tree. Cano was transported to UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead around 1:40 a.m. The suspect and Cano’s partner survived the crash without severe injury.
The CHP’s accident investigation team initially led a probe into the incident, but investigators had previously ruled out exposure to drugs as a cause. In July, CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee stated, “We do not think this was an exposure to drugs. The other officer and the subject did not experience any signs or symptoms related to that.”
Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid that can be fatal in very small doses. However, experts emphasize that casual contact with fentanyl is not typically dangerous. According to Dr. Daniel Colby, co-medical director for the Department of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Health, “It’s a common misconception that fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin, but it is not true for casual exposure. The one case in which fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin is with a special doctor-prescribed fentanyl skin patch, and even then, it takes hours of exposure.”
Dr. Colby stressed the importance of intervening during an overdose, stating, “Pausing or waiting for other people to arrive means that person might die. They need our help and it is safe to help them.”
Officer Cano’s death was the first line-of-duty death for the CHP since 2020. California Governor Newsom called the death “a heartbreaking loss for the state and the California Highway Patrol.” Cano joined the CHP in 2023 and is survived by his wife and parents.
“We are devastated by the loss of Officer Cano, who gave his life while serving the people of California,” said Commissioner Duryee at the time of Cano’s death. “His dedication, courage and commitment to public safety will never be forgotten.”