How did Charles die?

[Updated 3 Dec 2009; crossed out items are followed by updated information]

The investigation into Charles accident is still ongoing, but it's important to know that Charles did not suffer.

Based on the police report and an interview with one of the police officers who was at the scene, the facts we know are these:

At about 5:50am on Thursday, November 12th, Charles’ red Acura veered off route 77 just outside Globe, hit an embankment a few feet from the edge of the road, and flipped over. He was wearing his seat-belt and the dual airbags deployed immediately. 

According to the police officer I spoke with Seargent Olivarez, that stretch of road is heavily traveled at that time of morning, so it was no surprise that a 911 call was made when someone saw his car flip. About five minutes later, Globe police officers arrived someone helped Charles out of his car by cutting his seat belt.

When the officers Robert Jones, Globe's Investigating Officer, arrived to the scene it was almost 6:30am. Charles had no visible signs of accident-related injuries and was alive and talking.  
Charles talked for several a few minutes with Officer Jones, repeatedly asking him to take a seat, "You're in shock, sir. You need to sit down and rest". But you know Charles....he said he was fine. [The autopsy results will be posted here the instant they are available. According to Seargent Olivarez, that will be about mid-December.

When the Emergency Medical Technicians arrived on the scene, it had been about 30 minutes since the accident. The One of the police officers again asked Charles to sit and rest. At last, Charles agreed, commenting that he didn't feel very well. He sat down. He laid onto his back. "Immediately," said Officer Jones, "His breathing became very shallow. A second later, he passed."

The EMT's tried to revive him, but without success. 

Authorities believe the accident, and his death, may have resulted from a medical condition.  The initial observation of the medical examiner is that Charles may have had Pneumonia. At the time of the accident - and for several weeks before it, according to more than a dozen 50 people I've interviewed, Charles had been fighting a terrible cold, perhaps even pneumonia - I've heard numerous first-hand reports of his paleness of skin, exessive coughing, weakness, losing weight, falling asleep during piano lessons, etc.); but, as was Charles way, he didn't want to disappoint his students and didn't complain.

However, it is important, critical even, to keep in mind that these are just educated guesses. When the autopsy report is in hand, I will confirm things.
Words do not exist to make what has happened any less tragic or any easier to understand. We all assume we'll be here until we're in our 80's, but the truth is, none of us knows when our the end will come. 

We all had the blessing of Charles in our lives. We know how much he loved us and how much he meant to us. And he knew how much he was loved as well. While we're grasping for answers to "how" and "why now", there is a welcoming comfort in learning how great the numbers are in the individuals who will carry his memory in our lives and in our hearts. May those who've never met Charles find a part of him in us.


(As more facts are learned, they will be added to this posting. Sign up for the email updates to learn the facts as soon as they are known.)