The man whose body was found early Wednesday in a northbound lane of Highway 101 in Santa Rosa was identified as Enrique Alvarez Ramirez, 21, of Windsor.
Ramirez apparently was struck by a vehicle, based on the injuries he sustained, the CHP said.
His body was reported by a passing driver about 1:40 a.m. It was in the middle lane of the highway just north of the Mendocino Avenue on-ramp, authorities said.
He had suffered a neck injury and a compound fracture of the thigh bone on one leg, said CHP Officer Jon Sloat.
Because the leg injury included a puncture wound from the broken femur, officers initially thought Ramirez had been shot. A medical examination by the Sonoma County coroner's office later revealed the broken bone as the cause, Sloat said.
"It's a traffic collision (case) and we'll be handling it from here," Sloat said.
Toxicology results from the autopsy Wednesday are due back in several weeks.
Investigators are not ruling out foul play
until they understand the events that led to the man's death. Still unknown is whether Ramirez was traveling through the area in a vehicle or was a pedestrian trying to cross the highway, Sloat said.
Officials are contacting family members in Windsor in an attempt to answer that question.
Authorities also are looking for information from motorists who may have been passing through Santa Rosa on northbound Highway 101 between 1:30 a.m. and 1:40 a.m. They are urged to contact CHP Detective Mike Phennicie at 588-1400.
-- Julie Johnson and Brett Wilkison
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: