Cause of death released for Redwood City inmate Kyle Harrison

(KRON) — A Redwood City street racer died in jail earlier this year shortly after he was sentenced for his role in causing a crash that left twin girls orphaned. On Monday, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office released Kyle V. Harrison’s cause of death.

The county coroner’s office determined that Harrison died on March 15 at Maple Street Correctional Facility in Redwood City “due to toxic effects of three medications,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

The coroner concluded that the 25-year-old inmate’s manner of death was an “accident” and found Harrison died due to toxic effects of Methadone, Amitriptyline, and Gabapentin.

Harrison previously pleaded no contest to engaging in a speed contest and felony vehicular manslaughter for the deaths of Grace Spiridon, and her husband, Gregory Ammen. The couple’s 7-year-old daughters “miraculously” survived the crash on El Camino Real, prosecutors said.

In February, Harrison was sentenced to serve eight years in state prison. Court records show that Harrison was slated to be transported from the county jail to a state prison facility in May, but he died in jail before he was transferred.

Investigators did not say why Harrison was taking Methadone, a medication typically used to treat opioid use disorder. Amitriptyline is an antidepressant medication. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsive medication that’s also used to treat certain types of neural pain.

The street race happened on Nov. 4, 2022 in Redwood City. Harrison raced his BMW against a teenager, Cesar Salto Morales, who was driving a Mercedes Benz on El Camino Real. Morales’ Mercedes slammed into a Chevrolet Bolt with Spiridon, Ammen, and their two young daughters inside.

The parents were killed on impact, while their daughters survived in the backseat. The family was less than 10 minutes away from their San Carlos home. Prosecutors said Harrison fled the scene, and a witness recorded his BMW’s license plate number with her cellphone as he was driving away. Police found and arrested Harrison weeks later.

After his in-custody death, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office and San Mateo County Coroner’s Office conducted independent investigations into Harrison’s cause and manner of death. The DA’s investigation is still underway.