Burned body spotted earlier in Youngstown, but witness thought it was a drunk

YOUNGSTOWN

Betty Jones had an appointment about 11 a.m. Friday and saw a car off the side of the road on Seifert Avenue with a man slumped over the steering wheel and the door open.

When she came back, the city fire department was hosing down a fire in the car and the man was still in the front seat. He was dead.

Police said Friday they are not sure how the person died. Firefighters called police about 1:20 p.m. after they found a body in the front seat.

Chief of Detectives Capt. Brad Blackburn said an autopsy would have to be done to determine how the person died.

Although Jones said she saw a man in the car, Blackburn said the body was burned so bad it was not readily apparent as to what gender the person was. He did say the person in the car was found in the front seat.

He termed the case a “death investigation” until the Mahoning County Coroner’s Office can determine how the person died. He said an autopsy will also likely be needed to determine the person’s identity.

Jones, who lives on Seifert Avenue, said she thought the person she saw in the car was drunk.

Read more of the story in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.