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February 14, 2006Police task force forms to investigate suspected drug overdose deathsCHARLEVOIX - At least three suspected drug overdose deaths last year coupled with new, stiffer penalties for dealers in death cases prompted officials to create a police task force to probe overdoses.Charlevoix County's new drug death team, composed of officers from multiple police agencies, will be called in on any suspected overdose death. Such probes can be a drain on small departments with limited resources, so using a county-wide team approach makes sense, said East Jordan Police Chief Dan Reece. "We have five full-time people. To complete an investigation pertaining to a suspicious death, it takes that and much more," Reece said. "Collecting evidence, securing the scene, conducting interviews - time is crucial." In January 2005, 20-year-old Emily Waskiewicz died of a methadone overdose in Charlevoix County. Law enforcement officials are not releasing the names of two other people who died last year under suspicious circumstances because investigations are ongoing, said chief assistant prosecuting attorney Shaynee Fanara. Robert Lee King, an East Jordan man accused of supplying Waskiewicz with drugs, faces charges in federal court. Until this year, there was no state law designed to punish drug dealers in overdose cases. But a statute enacted Jan. 1 created a new charge - and a potential life sentence - for delivering a controlled substance, causing death. Because it's not retroactive, the law can't be applied to last year's cases. With the task force, law enforcement officials are setting the stage for vigorous prosecution of the next offender, said Charlevoix Undersheriff Don Schneider. "In the past, people died from overdoses, and everyone says, 'Well, too bad.' Now you'd better make that, 'Too bad for whoever is dealing the drugs,'" Schneider said. County Prosecutor John Jarema, who pushed for creation of the new task force, said it's not a question of if another death occurs, but when. Drug-related felony charges from every police agency in the county jumped in 2005 compared to 2004. "One death is too many, but unfortunately I think it's going to happen and we need to have a policy in place to be ready," he said.
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