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Man Dies After Choking In Fresno Taco-Eating Contest

FRESNO, Calif. (CBS13/AP) — Authorities say a man died shortly after competing in a taco-eating contest at a minor league baseball game

Fresno Sheriff spokesman Tony Botti says 41-year-old Dana Hutchings, of Fresno, died Tuesday night shortly after arriving at a hospital.

Hutchings had apparently began to choke while eating tacos, the sheriff's office says. Fresno Grizzlies medical started first aid and medics soon took over.

The sheriff's office says Hutchings died less than a half-hour after getting to the emergency room.

Botti says an autopsy on Hutchings will be done to determine a cause of death. It was not immediately known how many tacos the man had eaten, or whether he had won the contest.

Fresno Grizzlies President Derek Franks released a statement on Wednesday, saying the team was devastated to learn of the fan's death.

"The Fresno Grizzlies extend our heartfelt prayers and condolences to the family of Mr. Hutchings. The safety and security of our fans is our highest priority. We will work closely with local authorities and provide any helpful information that is requested," Franks wrote.

The team noted that the contest was not a Major League Eating sanctioned event.

During the 2018 Taco Eating Championship in Fresno, professional eater Geoff Esper downed 73 tacos in eight minutes.

Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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