A man was found dead behind the wheel of a car parked near a Lake Elsinore intersection Wednesday, but no foul play is suspected.

The victim, whose name was not immediately released, was spotted by passers-by shortly after 1 p.m. near the Ortega Highway and Grand Avenue, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Witnesses could not immediately determine if the individual was sleeping, or something worse, and so they called 911, sheriff’s Sgt. Lionel Murphy said.

Patrol deputies arrived within a couple of minutes and attempted to get the driver’s attention, but quickly realized he was unresponsive, Murphy said. County fire paramedics were summoned and staged nearby.

The car was locked, and the deputies forcibly opened it, confirming that the man was dead.

“The cause of death is still under investigation,” Murphy said.

It was unclear how long the vehicle had been parked there.

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