Foul play not suspected in fatal vehicle fire

CLEVELAND - Autopsy results have confirmed the identity of a White County woman who died in a vehicle fire Tuesday afternoon.

White County Chief Deputy Bob Ingram provided basic details late Wednesday afternoon.

"The findings showed no visible injury or trauma," Ingram said, adding nothing in the autopsy findings changed their initial beliefs "that the source of the fire was gasoline and matches."

Ingram said toxicology results are pending, but are expected to take some time.

White County Deputy Coroner Jim Etheridge said through the use of dental records, the victim was positively identified as 46-year-old Betty Jean Fortner of Cleveland. Etheridge had no further comments on the findings.

Ingram reported that officials received a call to a car fire at a home on Duncan Bridge Road at 3:15 p.m.Tuesday. That caller reported a vehicle fire with a deceased occupant inside the vehicle.

A Georgia Power Co. employee drove by and saw the flames, turned around and used his vehicle's extinguisher to put out the flames, but it was too late.

There was no indication from either official that foul play was involved.

The incident remains under investigation by the White County Sheriff's Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, State Fire Marshal's Office and White County Coroner's Office.