When the Greenville County Coroner’s Office released its finding on Hayden Panettiere’s cause of death, U.S. News reporter Jeffrey Collins quickly boiled down complex medical terms to make clear the actor had died of an accidental overdose of drugs including fentanyl.
Armed with deep knowledge about South Carolina and its agencies, Collins immediately requested a more complete coroner’s report — but there was a hitch: Someone would have to pay for it in person. Collins, armed with one of his wife’s Peanuts-branded checks, drove the 120 miles (193 kilometers) to obtain it. From the parking lot, Collins deftly retopped and reshaped the story to highlight new, exclusive information — Panettiere had recently been in rehab — and also made photos and video.
Other news outlets were forced to follow the AP’s lead, with local TV stations citing our reporting. Prominent entertainment news organizations did not obtain the report until the following day.
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