Death of HCMC doctor along I-94 ruled an accident

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The Hennepin County medical examiner's office said a well-known Hennepin County Medical Center doctor found dead along I-94 outside of downtown Minneapolis on Dec. 5 died after an apparent fall. His death was ruled an accident.

Dr. Christopher D. Robert, 50, was the chief of anesthesiology at HCMC. His wife, Kerry Ace, told the Star Tribune Dr. Robert was walking to their downtown condo after a work holiday party. His body was found that Saturday morning near the shoulder of I-94 and Groveland Avenue.

Just over a month later, the medical examiner's office report said he died of a "blunt force head injury sustained in an apparent fall. The manner of death is accident."

Hennepin County spokeswoman Carolyn Marinan confirmed with Fox 9 his toxicology report did reveal “acute alcohol intoxication," but the cause of death still stems from the fall.

Minneapolis police are continuing to investigate.

Ace is an emergency room doctor at Children’s Hospital in St. Paul and said in Dec. investigators weren't released any details about what may have led to her husband's death, and urged anyone with information to contact police.

Ace said her husband was walking to the couple’s condo in the 200 block of 11th Street from a holiday celebration for the anesthesiology department.

A 911 caller initially reported his body before 7:30 a.m. and backups along the interstate ensued until late Saturday morning. Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Tiffani Schweigart tweeted over the weekend it was an "Unwitnessed death. Does not appear hit & run/crash. MPD handling. 2 lanes closed.”

Robert also leaves behind two children, Evan, 18, and Jennifer, 11.