A man found unresponsive Monday last week behind Spruzzo’s Restaurant has died, the county coroner’s office confirmed. David Miller, 57, was found Monday morning last week with “traumatic injuries consistent with a fall” down a flight of stairs, said Sgt. Bock of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. A doctor with the sheriff ’s department’s homicide bureau concluded Miller’s injuries were consistent with a fall and no signs of foul play, including head and internal injuries, Bock said.
Deputies could not find a location of residence for Miller, Bock said.
“They think it’s a [possible] transient, he had a history of seizures,” which may have caused Miller to fall, said Bock, who said there was no sign Miller was intoxicated.
Friends of the deceased man said Miller had been in poor health for weeks. The night before his death, Miller had joined a group of men who sometimes gather in the alley behind the restaurant to drink or eat together, according to Robert Nobbs, who said he was a friend of Miller’s.
Nobbs said he found Miller the next morning at 5 a.m. and originally thought he was sleep-ing. When he checked on Miller again at 7:30 a.m. and he was still unresponsive, Nobbs said he knew something was wrong and notified others. He added Miller did not fall down stairs but might have fallen on his own.
Miller was airlifted to UCLA-Santa Monica and was not exhibiting signs of brain activity, Bock said. Lt. Corral of the Los Angeles Department of Coroner confirmed Miller had passed away, although he did not say when. Coroner’s officials said Tuesday that an autopsy was being performed and results are pending.
Wendy Woodward, who said she was a friend of Miller’s for 15 years, said Miller was taken off life support Tuesday evening after showing no signs of brain activity. Miller lived nearby in a rented unit on a Bonsall Drive horse ranch, Woodward said, adding that Miller had suffered a seizure the week before his death.
“He was a very sweet man,” Woodward said.
Woodward visited Miller in the hospital Monday, and said Miller had two broken ribs, head injuries, a black eye and bruising on his arms. Friends were trying to raise money for Miller to be cremated, said Woodward, who added that Miller has a sister who lives in Mexico.
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