Autopsy: Ex-NBA Star Rasual Butler Had Alcohol, Drugs in System

Rasual Butler and Leah LaBelle (Credit: Instagram)

Former NBA player Rasual Butler had alcohol and drugs in his system when he and wife Leah LaBelle were killed in a single-vehicle crash in January, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said Thursday.

Toxicology tests showed Bulter had a blood alcohol level of .118, well above the legal limit, Los Angeles television station KTLA reported.

There was also marijuana, methamphetamine and painkillers in his system, the coroner’s report stated.

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Butler was driving a Range Rover in the early morning hours of Jan. 31, when it crashed in L.A.’s Studio City neighborhood, Los Angeles police said at the time.

The vehicle lost control, hit several parking meters, a retaining wall, then flipped over and landed in the parking lot of a strip mall.

An empty box of Don Julio tequila was found in the badly mangled SUV, according to the coroner’s report.

Butler, 38, died of multiple traumatic injuries, the autopsy said. He and LaBelle, were pronounced dead at the scene.

No one else was injured.

LaBelle was a singer who appeared on Season 3 of American Idol alongside Diana DeGarmo, LaToya London, Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia Barrino.

She wowed fans when she made it to the final 12 of the series back in 2004, and later secured a deal with Epic Records/So So Def Recordings.

Butler played for the Clippers from 2010-11. During his 13-year NBA career, he was also a member of the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs and other teams.