Police: Man died while unloading several hundred pounds of marijuana

NORCROSS, Ga. — A man appears to have died of natural causes while unloading marijuana from a van, Atlanta area police said Wednesday.

Gwinnett County police said in a statement that officers Monday responded to a call of a man slumped over near a white van and a tractor trailer.

Officers found 31-year-old Johnny Taylor of Bridgeport, Conn., dead and kneeling on the ground with his head on the step of the van's side door. Police say his body showed no signs of trauma and that it appears he died of natural causes.

Police say that once Taylor's body was removed, officers found bags of marijuana inside a box in the van and saw similar boxes in the truck.

Officers got a warrant and seized several hundred pounds of marijuana.

Police say security video footage shows a man dropping off the tractor-trailer around 9:30 p.m. Sunday and then leaving in a car. Shortly after the tractor trailer is dropped off, the white van is seen pulling up and parking next to the tractor-trailer.

Police Cpl. Michele Pihera said in an email Wednesday that the officers at the scene viewed the security video, but investigators didn't have it yet so the identity of the man or men in the video wasn't clear.

Investigators are asking anyone who knows anything about the case to come forward.

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