CRASH BEFORE ALLEN'S DEATH PROBED.

Byline: Erik Nelson Staff Writer

A fender-bender involving Steve Allen the day he died has triggered an investigation into the entertainer's death, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said Monday.

The office took tissue samples from Allen's body during a Nov. 9 autopsy ``to rule in or rule out if the accident played a part in this man's death,'' spokesman Scott Carrier said.

Results are due within two weeks.

The investigation stems from an Oct. 30 traffic crash Allen had while on his way to visit his son in Encino, Carrier said. A sport utility vehicle apparently backed into Allen's Cadillac Seville about 7:45 p.m. in the 16000 block of Valley Vista Boulevard, according to Carrier and Kevin Sasaki, publicist for Allen and his wife, Jayne Meadows.

``Names were exchanged; it's not a hit-and-run situation,'' Carrier said. ``There were no supposed injuries to anybody, and Mr. Allen continued on his way.''

Allen did not speak of the incident when he arrived at the home of his son, Bill Allen, Sasaki said, because ``he really didn't want to bring it up in front of the kids.''

But he encountered problems soon after his arrival. ``He was unsteady, went to lay down and was found unresponsive a short time following,'' Carrier said. The family called paramedics, who took Allen to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9 p.m. He was 78.

The doctor who signed Allen's death certificate, declaring that he died of a heart attack, prompted the investigation by noting the auto mishap. Any suggestion of possible accidental causes automatically triggers a probe by the coroner's office, which is required to issue its own death certificate, Carrier said.

The Allen family did not wish to comment until the coroner's office completes its analysis of the tissue samples, Sasaki said, because ``very likely this may not have had anything to do with (Allen's death).''

Allen, who has 13 grandchildren, often took the five-minute drive to visit Bill Allen's three children.

One of the founding fathers of television comedy, Allen was the first host of the ``Tonight Show'' as well as an author, playwright and composer of more than 4,000 songs. He was known for his ability to take a subject from an audience, compose a song and sing it while playing the piano.