27491.25.
(a) The coroner, or the coroner’s coroner or medical examiner, or their appointed deputy, on being notified of a death occurring while the deceased was driving or riding in a motor vehicle, or as a result of the deceased being struck by a motor vehicle, shall take blood and urine samples other biological samples, when appropriate, from the body of the deceased before it has been prepared for burial and make appropriate related chemical tests to determine the alcoholic contents, if any, of the body. The coroner may perform other chemical tests or medical examiner shall perform other drug screening and confirmatory tests, including, but not limited to, barbituric acid and amphetamine derivative as deemed appropriate. cannabinoids including delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), opioids including fentanyl, benzodiazepines, methamphetamine and related amphetamines, and cocaine. (b) The detailed medical findings, resulting from those examinations that are conducted, shall either be reduced to writing or permanently preserved on recording discs or other similar recording media and shall include all positive and negative findings pertinent to the presence or absence of any alcoholic or other substance content. Blood alcohol content and blood drug concentrations shall be provided when available.
(c) This section shall does not apply to the testing of a deceased persons person under the age of 15 years, 15 years of age unless the surrounding circumstances indicate the possibility of alcoholic, barbituric acid, and amphetamine derivative alcohol or drug consumption, nor shall it apply when the death has occurred more than 24 48 hours after the accident.
(d) For purposes of this section, hospital antemortem samples, if available, shall be used in place of postmortem samples if the decedent was hospitalized prior to death.