Vince Zampella , the video game executive behind the Call of Duty franchise, was sober when he died in a fiery car crash on Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles in December 2025, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. Toxicology testing found no alcohol, illicit drugs, marijuana, or prescription medications in his system. The medical examiner determined that Zampella died from smoke inhalation, thermal injuries, and blunt force trauma after his sports car slammed into a concrete barrier and caught fire. The findings indicate that Zampella survived the initial impact, although the crash caused injuries to all of his major internal organs. What Happened on Angeles Crest Highway? Video from the crash showed bystanders pulling Zampella away from the burning wreckage on the mountainous roadway in Altadena, California. Skid marks across the highway point to the force of the collision, and the stretch is known locally for high speed driving. The fire left Zampella so badly burned that officials could not immediately identify him. The report also documented soot in his lungs and a 14% carbon monoxide level in his blood. Zampella was 55 and served as head of Respawn Entertainment after previously leading Infinity Ward, the studio that helped build Call of Duty into a global gaming powerhouse.