Autopsy planned in death of UCSD pole vaulter

A autopsy was pending Sunday for a 19-year-old UC San Diego pole vaulter who died after missing his landing pad and hitting his head on concrete during a training jump.

Leon Roach, a graduate of Marina High School in Huntington Beach, was

pronounced brain dead at 5 p.m. Saturday at Scripps Memorial Hospital,

according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Roach was practicing at UCSD Thursday when he hit his head and

immediately became unresponsive, according to the coroner’s report. He was removed from life support on Saturday.

A memorial service will be held later this week in Huntington Beach.