Tuesday, November 21st, 2006
City woman faces charges over drug-related death
By Margie Wuebker
A Celina woman has been indicted on multiple charges stemming from the drug-related death of an Allen County man in August.
Julie R. (Coate) Miller, 30, 632 Grove St., Apt. 3, was indicted Friday on four felonies and one misdemeanor in connection with the death of Stephen A. Stanley, 35, of Lima. She is scheduled to make an initial appearance this afternoon in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.
Miller, who formerly resided at Williamsburg Square Apartments, 1400 W. Market St., faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter, first- and third-degree felonies; reckless homicide, also a third-degree felony; and possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. The remaining charge of permitting drug abuse is a first-degree misdemeanor.
Celina Police responded to the Williamsburg complex after receiving an anonymous call that a man had passed out in Apartment 47 after an apparent drug overdose. They subsequently determined Stanley had been dead several hours prior to their arrival.
Initial findings indicated the death appeared to be the result of an accidental overdose. Toxicology tests revealed Stanley died from lethal levels of the drug Fentanyl, according to police reports.
Stanley had been staying at Miller's apartment, but she was not there when the body was found. However, the police investigation determined she had been there with him at various times throughout the day and apparently had possession of the drug Fentanyl, which some people call "morphine patches."
In addition to police, the investigation involved Mercer County Coroner Dr. Timothy Heinrichs and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office.
Miller was arrested Monday and remains incarcerated at the Van Wert County Jail pending a 2 p.m. court proceeding. The Mercer County Jail does not have accommodations for women.
