Former Lawrence Fire Chief Jim McSwain was involved in a car accident just before his death Christmas Day.

McSwain, 65, died of natural causes at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman said McSwain received minor injuries during a one-vehicle accident about 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

He hit a patch of ice with his car, lost control and hit a culvert in the 1800 section of North 1100 Road, said Sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Lewis. The airbag of the car deployed and McSwain received a minor cut on his head, Lewis said.

Paramedics persuaded McSwain to be checked out at the hospital, but his death was not a result of the crash, Lewis said.

Current Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Chief Mark Bradford said McSwain was alert and talkative while being transported to the hospital by ambulance and when he arrived at LMH.

“He deteriorated and passed away,” Bradford said.

McSwain was fire chief in Lawrence from 1978 until he retired in 2005.

Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. today at the Mustard Seed Fellowship, 700 Wakarusa Drive.