A 31-year-old man was found dead Tuesday morning outside his back doorstep, and police suspect he froze to death after falling.
Steven M. Bydalek was discovered around 6:30 a.m. by his brother Frank, said Police Lt. John Bergo.
The man fell outside his back door sometime between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, Bergo said. Frank Bydalek, 29, who lived with his brother, was returning home from his girlfriend's house when he found the body. He told police he last saw Steve before leaving for work Monday.
Police Suspect Steven Bydalek bumped his head outside his back door while en route to the house, Bergo said. He was unable to get up and froze to death sometime during the night's below-zero temperatures, Bergo said.
Steven Bydalek's body showed abrasions on his knees, hands and the right side of his face, indicating he fell, Police Lt. Leo Bronk said. He was found face up and fully clothed, and no foul play is suspected, Bronk said. His body was lying on the sidewalk near the back porch, and the door was still locked.
The Medical Examiner's autopsy was inconclusive, said Deputy Medical Examiner Roger Johnson, and further autopsy results won't be known for four to five weeks.
Steven Bydalek was last seen between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday when a cab driver picked him up from a friend's house near 12th Avenue and 57th Street, Bergo said. Police were unsure Monday whether the cab driver dropped Steven Bydalek at his home.
In 1984, Steven Bydalek suffered massive head injuries when the car he was a passenger in collided with a freight train. He was awarded $1.2 million in personal injury claim resulting from the accident. Police said they did not know if Bydalek's previous head injuries caused him to fall.