A man found dead in the Marysville White Castle parking lot in October died of a drug overdose, according to officials.
Frank Tocci, 55, of Dublin, was found dead in a white Honda Accord Oct. 17. At the time, officials said they were unsure of what had killed him. In an interview last week, Union County Prosecutor’s Office Investigator Lance Emberling said a white powder was found around Tocci’s mouth on the scene.
According to Emberling, when authorities first found Tocci, an overdose was suspected.
After the autopsy returned earlier this month, officials say the cause of death was an overdose from cocaine and Xanax. Emberling said the autopsy revealed indications of an overdose, such as fluid in the lungs.
According to the Franklin County Probation Services website, Tocci also had legal troubles as recently as 2016, stemming from enticing children.
Emberling said officials are aware of reports that Tocci had used cocaine the previous Monday.
According to Emberling, Tocci went to his job at Honda of America on Oct. 16. His supervisor noticed him “acting differently,” and asked Tocci to submit to a drug test.
“He refused and left,” Emberling said.
At about 9 a.m. that day, he parked at White Castle.
“We have him on video showing up there,” Emberling said.
The video shows Tocci pulling into the restaurant and putting his seat down.
In October, Emberling said the car turned off Wednesday afternoon, likely because it ran out of gas.
Emberling said an employee parked next to the Accord and saw the man wasn’t moving. She went into the restaurant and told her manager, who came out and looked in the car.
“They realized he was dead, and they called 911,” Emberling said.
Emberling said officials don’t know whether the overdose was intended. The death was eventually ruled to be accidental.
“We don’t have any indications that it was a suicide,” Emberling.
There were no signs of trauma on the body, Emberling said. He also noted Tocci’s body was in the early stages of decomposition, likely hastened by a mixture of the car’s heater and the sun’s rays coming through the windows.
“He had some blistering and stuff like that,” Emberling said.
Officials are unsure why Tocci chose to park at White Castle.
“Speaking with the White Castle (staff), it’s not uncommon for people to just, like, stop, take a nap, whatever,” Emberling said. “Why he chose that place, not a hundred percent sure.”