The younger brother of Olympic skier Bode Miller has been found dead in a van close to the mountains in California.

Chelone Miller, who was 29, was said to be unresponsive when emergency workers were sent to his van parked in the area of Mammoth Lakes.

The Mono County Sheriff's Office confirmed his death Monday in a statement and said that while the cause of death was being investigated, foul play was not suspected.

The aspiring Olympic athlete had a history of seizures following a 2005 motorcycle crash that left him in a coma for 11 days.

He was well-known in his adopted home town of Mammoth Lakes, where he was admired for his bravery and dedication to the tough sport of snowboardcross.

According to the statement, the sheriff's office dispatch received a call around 12.45pm Sunday regarding an unresponsive male in his van.

Paramedics, the fire department and deputies were sent to the scene, whereupon arrival 'it was determined that Mr. Miller was deceased', the statement said.

Mr Miller, of Easton, N.H., was hoping to make the U.S. squad in snowboardcross for the 2014 Sochi Games. Nicknamed Chilly, Mr Miller recently finished fourth at the 2013 U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix in Canyons, Utah.

 

In addition to competing, Mr Miller also did some filming with Warren Miller and other production companies.

'Chelone Miller was an aspiring elite athlete who had made great progress as a snowboardcross rider this past season. We are all deeply saddened at the news of his death and extend our condolences to the entire Miller family,' U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President Bill Marolt said in a statement on the team's website.

Several Olympic athletes took to Twitter to express their condolences.

Freestyle skier and two-time Olympian Emily Cook wrote: 'Broken-hearted to hear of the passing of Chelone Miller. Sending love and prayers to Bode, friends and family.'

Snowboarder Elena Hight tweeted: 'My heart goes out to @MillerBode and his family. So sad for the loss of such a great person. #RIPchilly.'

Just last month, Chelone Miller won the Rahlves Banzai Tour overall title courtesy of a victory at Sugar Bowl in California.

The event is organized by Daron Rahlves, a former World Cup and Olympic skier. The Twitter account @RahlvesBanzai tweeted: 'RIP Chilly..We will miss you, but never forget! Thoughts go out to @MillerBode and his family.'

Bode Miller is a five-time Olympic medallist in alpine skiing. He sat out the 2012-13 World Cup season while recovering from a knee injury.

Last month he filed court documents in a bid to force Sara McKenna, his ex-lover and mother of his infant son, to move back to California so he can spend time with the boy.

He is also trying to have the boy's surname changed to Miller on his birth certificate.  Ms McKenna reportedly claimed that Mr Miller did not want her to have the child.

Meanwhile Mr Miller's wife, volleyball player Morgan Beck, whom he married late last year after beginning a romance soon after Ms McKenna became pregnant, suffered a miscarriage last year after announcing her pregnancy.

'Trying to be a good parent:' Miller with four-year-old Neesyn Darcey his daughter by Chanel Johnson who is the subject of a custody suit