Fremont County Coroner 2009 3rd Quarter Summary (as of 10/01/2009)

(National Statistic Comparison from CDC-National Vital Statistics System, 2005, most recent available)

1. TOTALS: There have been 262 recorded deaths in Fremont County for the first ¾ of 2009:
2. CASES: Of the ‘non-natural’:
   1. Motor-vehicle/Traffic deaths: There have been 23 vehicular deaths so far in 2009, four more than the same period in 2008.
   2. 64.9% were Coroner Cases (170). There are 10 less cases than the same period of 2008 (180)
   3. So far for 2009, the total of cases “non-natural” in manner (accident, homicide, suicide, undetermined) has decreased slightly, down to 25% from 27% for the same period in 2008
   4. The number of accidental deaths is 29, equal to the same period for 2008.
   5. The number of deaths by suicide is 3, six less than the same period for 2008.
   6. The number of deaths by homicide is 11, one more than the same period for 2008 (7 of the homicides are vehicular).
   7. Of the 18 passenger vehicle deaths, 14 were adult drivers or passengers that were not wearing seatbelts. So far for the year, 14 of the 23 motor vehicle deaths have involved single vehicle roll-overs, usually with ejection. 11 0f the 23, involved alcohol.

POSITIVE NOTES:

1. It has been more than 5½ years in a row without any completed youth suicides (age 17 and under). The total number of suicides for the year is also trending lower. There were 13 suicides for the same period in 2006, which had been the highest yearly total in 21 years (1985).
2. There have been four child fatalities so far in 2009. This is also considerably less than the 11 in the first ¾ of 2009.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL:

1. Drugs and Alcohol related deaths in the first ¾ of 2009 account for 18% of the Coroner cases (22% of cases in 2008 for the same period), 51% of the non-natural deaths (56% of non-natural in 2008 for the same period). This continues the trend of less involvement of drugs & alcohol in coroner cases, but has increased over figures for the first half of 2009.
2. There have been 26 cases involving alcohol, 9 involving prescription drugs, 7 involving cannabis, and two involving meth.

Other items of Note:

1. 1. There were three drowning accidents this summer, the first since the summer of 2005.

Below are the current Manner of Death statistics, 2004 through 2009, most current date available: