MLB Pitcher Roy Halladay Had Drugs in His System, Was Doing Stunts Before Fatal Plane Crash

Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay died in a plane crash in 2017, and now the National Transportation Safety Board has more information on the accident. On Wednesday, the NTSB reported Halladay was doing stunts while flying, and had a dangerous mix of drugs in his system when his aircraft crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida. It was determined the former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher had “10 times the recommended level of amphetamine, as well as morphine, a muscle relaxer, an opioid pain medication, and antidepressants in his bloodstream at the time of the crash,” officials said per Fox News.

“Yesterday’s NTSB report on Roy’s accident was painful for our family, as it has caused us to relive the worst day of our lives,” Halladay’s widow, Brandy Halladay, said in a statement released by the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. “It has reinforced what I have previously stated, that no one is perfect. Most families struggle in some capacity and ours was no exception. We respectfully ask that you not make assumptions or pass judgement. Rather, we encourage you to huge your loved ones and appreciate having them in your lives. As a family, we ask that you allow Roy to rest in peace.”

During an initial autopsy in 2018, it showed that Halladay had evidence of amphetamine, morphine and an insomnia drug in his system. However, it wasn’t determined how much at the time. The four drugs found in his system included the sleep aid zolpidem (or Ambien), morphine, the antidepressant fluoxetine and a muscle relaxant known as baclofen. The report also showed new information about Halladay’s medical history.

“During a visit in September 2015, the pilot’s primary care physician notes a history of substance abuse with inpatient rehab treatment in 2013 and another from January-March in 2015. At the time, the pilot had been abusing opioids and benzodiazepines,” the NTSB report states, per ESPN.

Halladay started his MLB career with the Blue Jays in 1998. He was in Toronto for 12 seasons, and then joined the Philadelphia Phillies for four years. Halladay made the All-Star team eight times and he won the Cy Young Award twice (2003, 2010) He pitched a perfect game in 2010, and a no-hitter in the postseason the same year.