Man in Fort Worth car crash dies

FORT WORTH – The death of a 55-year-old man who was in a car accident and died late Thursday on the southwest side of the city was ruled a natural death by the medical examiner Friday.

Gerald Morgan’s four-door Chevrolet car hit a tree shortly before midnight near the intersection of Alta Mesa Boulevard and South Hulen Street, according to police reports. The 55-year-old’s death was ruled a “sudden adult death with evidence of hypertensive heart disease.”

Morgan was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:22 a.m., according to the Medical Examiner's Office. Police had speculated that something other than the crash had contributed to his death.

“There was not a tremendous amount of damage from the wreck,” said Sgt. Rodney Bangs, supervisor of the traffic investigation unit. “The patrol officers who responded thought he might have had a medical condition.”

Morgan was a part-time general worker for the Star-Telegram who worked in the press room.

Dorris Hartley, production administrator for the Star-Telegram, said Morgan had begun his career with the newspaper in August 2004, initially working in packaging. She said he had worked Thursday night but went home early because he was not feeling well. He was apparently on his way home when the accident occurred, she said.