Paint balls may not be factor in death

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- Officials said Monday they are no longer sure paint

balls played a role in the death of Gary Holdren, 54, who was in-line

skating down Back Bay Drive on March 24.

Autopsy results released Monday by the Orange County coroner suggested

“there was no evidence that Mr. Holdren was struck by a paint ball or

that he suffered any direct injury from a paint-ball strike,” said

Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman.

“We’re still actively investigating what led to his injuries,” he

added.

Holdren, a heart-valve salesman and resident of Park Newport, was

declared brain-dead Saturday and pronounced dead Sunday.

Investigators initially said Holdren may have fallen as a result of

several paint balls being fired at him, possibly from the bluffs. They

had also said the serious brain injury that left him in a medically

induced coma for two weeks was caused when Holdren fell backward onto his

head.

Shulman said Monday that a witness told police about seeing three

young men or boys fire paint-ball pellets from paint-ball guns in the

area before the incident.

A witness also said the paint-ball strike marks found on Back Bay

Drive near the site where Holdren reportedly fell were there before the

incident took place, he added.

The coroner’s report stated that Holdren’s eye injury was caused

“internally” -- not by a paint-ball pellet or any other object -- Shulman

said.

Investigators have been unable to locate any witnesses who saw the

incident, he added.

“We’re still looking for the three youths who were seen paint-balling

in the area,” Shulman said. “We would ask that they or anyone with

information about the incident come forward and tell us what actually

happened.”

He said it is not likely charges will be filed against anybody because

there is no evidence now that the incident was intentional.

“It could’ve been an accident,” Shulman said. “[Holdren] could have

been distracted by something else, maybe a passing vehicle or something

unrelated to paint balls.”

Holdren’s girlfriend, Bonita Young, said she was “surprised and

confused,” yet strangely comforted by the coroner’s findings.

“The information helps me a lot,” she said. “Now I can let go of it

sooner.”

Young, also a Newport Beach resident, had been circulating fliers in

the area since the incident asking people to come forward with

information about who might have been responsible for firing the

paint-ball pellets.

“Do I believe it?” she asked. “Facts are facts. I have to believe

them, right?”

Councilman Gary Adams said he believes Holdren’s death was a “freak

incident.”

“The Back Bay has been a pretty safe place,” he said. “I understand it

is patrolled by our police, and this is just something we wouldn’t

expect.”

Shulman said the Back Bay area is and has been patrolled every day by

officers.

A shrine for Holdren still stands halfway down winding Back Bay. Young

and other friends and family members have placed flowers, pictures and

other memorabilia. On Sunday, at least 50 people walked down the Back Bay

in memory of Holdren.

Holdren is survived by his daughter, Kristie of Aliso Viejo, and

brother, Mark of Pittsford, N.Y. A private memorial service will be held.

The family has asked that donations be made in lieu of flowers to the

Brain Trauma Center at Mission Hospital.

John Hawbaker, also a Park Newport resident with whom Holdren enjoyed

martinis and weekend dinners, said he was “shocked” to hear about the

coroner’s findings.

“That’s wild!” he exclaimed. “I saw all those paint-ball marks with my

own eyes, and I was pretty sure that was the reason.”

Hawbaker added that the findings, however, do not give him a sense of

closure about the incident.

“I’m glad that’s not what happened,” he said. “But that doesn’t change

much for me. He’s still not here.”

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .