Lost cremated remains of man return to family

The cremated remains of a St. Paul man have been reunited with his family after the ashes were found in a towed car.

Auto Rescue owner Cam Carlson was preparing an impounded car for sale recently when he discovered a bronze urn in the trunk. It was engraved with the name Lionois "Lee" Torrence.

After the story of the unclaimed urn appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the phone started ringing at Carlson's towing shop in Little Canada.

Dozens of calls later, a man told Carlson he had attended Torrence's funeral and that he would contact his son. The 24-year-old son, Adam Torrence, told Carlson his younger brother had been driving the Cadillac when it was impounded by police in April.

Carlson says he was thinking the urn could have been a permanent fixture at his towing garage.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)