(REUTERS) – Former world 400 metres champion Antonio Pettigrew has been found dead, and authorities are reportedly unsure if his death was accidental or a suicide. USA Today reported that Chatham County sheriff’s Major Gary Blankenship said Pettigrew’s body was found in the back seat of his car, parked to the side of a bridge.
Blankenship said the car was locked and there was evidence that the 42-year-old had taken sleeping pills.
He added: “We don’t know if was intentionally or accidental … we might not ever know.”
The 42-year-old American, who worked at the University of North Carolina as an assistant athletics coach, captured the world title in 1991.
“Although we are still learning the circumstances, we are deeply saddened to learn of Antonio’s death,” the school’s athletic director Dick Baddour said.
“I was particularly impressed with the relationships he established with his student-athletes and the pride he took in representing the university. Our deepest condolences go out to Antonio’s family particularly his wife and son.”
The sprinter also won a 4×400 gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics but the relay team, including Michael Johnson, were stripped of their medals after Pettigrew admitted at the trial of banned coach Trevor Graham he had used performance-enhancing drugs from 1997 to 2003.
Pettigrew also voluntarily surrendered his 1997 and 1999 world championship 4×400 relay gold medals.
He was an assistant coach at the university for four seasons.