CLEVELAND -- A man killed in a car crash was left in the vehicle, which was towed to an impound lot where family members discovered his body two days later, police said.
An officer who handled the crash failed to check the vehicle before it was towed, city Safety Director Martin Flask said. The police department is reviewing the case.
Emil Azzam, 50, of Lakewood, died instantly from head and neck injuries when his car crashed on Friday, the Cuyahoga County coroner ruled.
Azzam's car had apparently hit a retaining wall amid icy conditions on state Route 176 south of downtown. The car had heavy front-end damage.
The car was about 500 feet from a multi-vehicle accident and not part of the original call for service. Witnesses had described Azzam's car as an abandoned vehicle, police said.
Dennis Allen, co-owner of Parma Towing, said the company was asked to perform an emergency two so the road could be cleared. He wouldn't say if the driver looked in the car before it was towed or if it is the company's policy to look inside.
Azzam's family filed a missing person's report, traced his vehicle to the lot and found the body on Sunday. He was still holding a burned-out cigarette in his hand, his family said.
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