Elderly Illinois man dies of cold exposure outside home

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - An 82-year-old central Illinois man has died in the cold weather after authorities say he was found several hours after he fell trying to get into his home.

Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood tells the (Peoria) Journal Star that a neighbor found the Marquette Heights man Tuesday afternoon. The neighbor called 911. Harwood says his office was called to a Peoria hospital, where the man was pronounced dead later Tuesday.

The man's cause of death was related to cold exposure. He wasn't immediately identified pending notification of family.

The high temperature in Peoria on Tuesday was 10 according to the National Weather Service. Wednesday temperatures plummeted in central Illinois to double-digit subzero readings amid a cold snap.

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Information from: Journal Star, http://pjstar.com