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Police file charges in 4 apparent overdoses

1 person found in middle of road

On a bathroom floor, in the middle of the road and next to a church.

That’s where several people recently ended up in Butler after apparently succumbing to heroin fixes.

City police on Tuesday filed charges in connection with four apparent overdose cases.

Tawny K. Matuke, 26, of Butler, in the most recent case, was spotted shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday lying in grass beside St. Peter Roman Catholic Church on Franklin Street, court documents said.

A passer-by saw the woman and notified authorities.

Police said they found an uncapped hypodermic needle next to the prone woman. Officers were able to rouse Matuke, who they suspect “fell asleep” after injecting heroin.

From her purse, police said, they seized seven more needles. She is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

About 12:20 p.m. Sept. 1, police and paramedics found 58-year-old John Wayne O’Donnell Sr. unconscious from a suspected overdose at his apartment on Walker Avenue.

He was revived and admitted shooting two bags of heroin, documents said. In his bedroom, officers found two empty stamp bags of suspected heroin and a syringe.

O’Donnell is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

A little before 7 p.m. Aug. 30, police were called to the 400 block of Zeigler Avenue where a woman had reportedly overdosed and was lying “in the middle of the road,” documents said.

By the time officers got there, Sierra Summers, 20, of McKees Rocks, Allegheny County, was up and staggering from the road to the curb, police said.

Summers appeared to be “severely impaired” and acknowledged she shot up two bags of heroin, document said.

A search of her purse yielded 13 empty bags of suspected heroin and a syringe.

Summers is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and public drunkenness.

About 4:55 p.m. Aug. 16, police said they found Jennifer A. Haux, 21, of Butler lying on the floor of the men’s restroom at the Marathon gas station on South Main Street.

She was unresponsive and in her hand were two used syringes, according to court documents. Butler Fire Department paramedics revived her with Narcan, documents said.

The suspect admitted she injected heroin before losing consciousness. Police found the woman’s cigarette pack on the bathroom sink.

The pack, documents said, contained two stamp bags and four empty bags of suspected heroin.

Haux is charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and public drunkenness.

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