Former New York and Los Angeles TV news anchor Will Spens, who struggled with homelessness since losing his last media job 10 years ago, died in a single-car accident on the Ventura-Santa Barbara County line Tuesday afternoon, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office reported today.

Spens was driving north on Highway 101 when he crashed into a concrete bridge abutment at the Bates Road off-ramp, according to Medical Examiner’s office spokesman Craig Stevens.

Stevens said Spens was not wearing a seat belt and died instantly from the force of the impact in his older Toyota sedan.

It took several days to find Spens’ nearest relative, a sister living in the Southwest. Stevens said Spens had only five names stored in his cell phone, all news directors of major market television stations. They were all contacted.

Spens had been living at a residential hotel in Santa Barbara for approximately the past 10 years. He was briefly married twice.

Toxicology tests are pending. Stevens says there were no witnesses to the 3:30 p.m. crash.