It’s been 2½ years since 45-year-old Michael Mershimer died of a lethal combination of alcohol and an opiate-based medication while attending a Pittsburgh Steelers party in Butler County.

Month after month, Mershimer’s father waited — mostly patiently, sometimes not — for charges to be filed in the death.

The long wait ended recently.

“Two-and-a-half years is a long time,” said Gilbert Mershimer of Mercer Township. “It’s been a long time coming.”

State police on March 19 charged Glenn A. Streets, 34, of Jackson Center, Mercer County, and Charles L. Kinney, 48, of Slippery Rock with delivery of a controlled substance, a felony.

Investigators accused Streets of supplying methadone to Michael Mershimer of Mercer Township during a party at Scott and Sabrina Skoch’s house in Harrisville,

Kinney allegedly provided the prescription painkiller Vicodin that was given to Mershimer at the same party.

Mershimer died Oct. 2, 2011, on the couch in the garage at the Skoches’ home where he had gone to watch the Steelers game on television.

An autopsy determined Mershimer died accidentally of “combined methadone and ethanol (alcohol) intoxication,” according to the Butler County Coroner’s office.

But the autopsy also found that Mershimer suffered from heart disease that could have contributed to his death.

Among his medical issues was an enlarged heart and coronary artery disease.

Mershimer was among a number of guests who attended the party at the Skoch home on East Prairie Street. Food and alcohol was served throughout the party, according to court documents.

During the evening, police said, Mershimer passed out and was moved onto a sofa to sleep. He later was found dead, when others checked on him.

Police were notified that night and began investigating the death.

Investigators learned that Streets had sold Mershimer an unspecified amount of liquid methadone, a police affidavit said. Kinney allegedly brought six Vicodin pills to the party. Mershimer was given at least one of those pills.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton on March 19 issued arrest warrants for Streets and Kinney.

Streets was arraigned Monday and is free on his own recognizance. Kinney has not yet been served with his warrant.

Both defendants have unlisted telephone numbers and neither could be reached for comment. It was not known if either suspect has an attorney.

Trooper Chris Birckbichler, the investigating officer, declined to comment about the case.

Prosecutor B.T. Fullerton, a Butler County assistant district attorney who reviewed the case with police before charges were filed, would not discuss the investigation or the charges.

“We examine the evidence, and we proceed from there,” Fullerton said.

“I don’t know why it took so long,” Erie attorney Richard Filippi said, “especially since all the facts have been known for so long.”

In April 2012, Filippi, representing Gilbert Mershimer, the administrator of his son’s estate, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in Butler County Court naming Scott and Sabrina Skoch as the defendants.

Six months later, Gilbert Mershimer settled the suit with the couple.

The suit accused the Skoches of failing to provide medical assistance to Mershimer, or call for help when he was rendered unconscious following a fall at the party.

Filippi, in the suit, acknowledged that Mershimer had been drinking and taking pain medication before he arrived about 12:30 p.m. at the couple’s home.

Kinney and Streets later arrived at the party. Streets got there about 5:30 p.m. At some point, he allegedly offered to sell Mershimer liquid methadone.

Mershimer drank more than half of the contents and paid Streets $23, the suit said. Streets left around 6:45 p.m.

About 15 minutes later, Mershimer walked out the back of the garage. When he returned, the suit alleged, he struck his head on the concrete floor and lost consciousness.

Kinney left shortly after 7:10 p.m.

Scott and Sabrina Skoch at 9 p.m. went into the garage to check on Mershimer, according to the lawsuit. They tried to wake him on the floor but to no avail.

The couple about 9:30 p.m. placed Mershimer on a couch in the garage. They returned to their home. At 10:15 p.m., Sabrina Skoch again checked on Mershimer.

But this time, he apparently was “not breathing and discolored,” the suit said. Sabrina called 911 at 10:32 p.m.

Mershimer was pronounced dead later that night.

The wrongful death claim was settled for $55,000, according to a court order Oct. 17, 2012. Filippi said the money, minus attorney’s fees, went to Mershimer’s only child, an adult son.

Attorney John Rob of Pittsburgh, who represented the defendants in the civil case, did not return a telephone call Friday.