Authorities have said Michael Cavallari, the brother of reality TV star Kristin Cavallari, died of hypothermia after crashing his car in the Utah desert in December — though toxicology reports to determine if he had drugs in his system are still pending.
Grand County sheriff officials confirmed yesterday in a statement that Michael experienced frigid temperatures after wandering away from the site of the car crash. The conditions induced hypothermia, which officially caused his death. The autopsy ruling his death to be accidental officially closes the case.
As The National ENQUIRER reported, Michael’s body was discovered at the foot of a steep and rocky hill near Salt Wash, Utah, on Dec. 10, nearly two weeks after his abandoned car was found — its engine running and airbag deployed — about 200 miles south of Salt Lake City.
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Four days before the abandoned car was located, Michael was arrested in California on allegations that he threatened a woman with a shotgun.
Temperatures in the area were at or below freezing every night in the days after the car was discovered.
“I don’t know if he thought he saw lights or something and started walking,” Grand County Sheriff Steven White said. “We just don’t know.”
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The sheriff added that the Cavallari family was notified of the autopsy report earlier this week.
Kristin, who wrote tributes to her brother on social media in the days after his passing, has yet to issue any response.
