Pubdate: Wed, 14 Mar 2007
Source: Daily Tribune, The (Royal Oak, MI)
Copyright: 2007 The Daily Tribune
Contact:  http://www.dailytribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1579
Author: Christy Strawser 				
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?132 (Heroin Overdose)

SUSPECTED DEALER CHARGED IN OVERDOSE

ROYAL OAK -- A suspected drug dealer who allegedly sold the heroin 
that killed a 20-year-old Royal Oak man will face charges today that 
could land him in jail for life.

Andrew Calvin Liddell, 46, of Detroit was expected to be arraigned 
this morning in 44th District Court on a charge of delivering a 
controlled substance causing death, a life felony.

Police said Liddell sold heroin to Travis Spencer, 20, who died of an 
overdose Dec. 28, 2006, in a Devon Road apartment. Spencer reportedly 
had a history of drug abuse, though investigators would not say how 
Liddell was identified as his dealer.

Police view Liddell's arrest as a big step in the fight against drug 
abuse in Royal Oak, which had a surge in overdoses in the last year 
and a half. Ten people in 2006 died of drug overdoses, four of them 
on heroin, and the Royal Oak Fire Department responded to 152 
near-fatal incidents -- or almost three a week -- where someone 
overdosed on an illegal substance.

"In these cases it is hard to identify the source," said Royal Oak 
Detective Lt. Corrigan O'Donohue, who credited the arrest to 
Detective Michael Moore of the Royal Oak police and the Oakland 
County Narcotics Enforcement Team, saying they worked together to 
identify the source of the heroin and obtain a search warrant.

A SWAT team carried out the warrant Dec. 29, 2006, in the 20100 block 
of Keating in Detroit and Liddell was arrested for possession with 
intent to deliver cocaine, marijuana and heroin, along with four 
counts of felony firearm and one count of being a felon in possession 
of a firearm.

While Liddell was in custody on the lesser charges, Royal Oak police 
waited for the medical examiner's report on Spencer. When the 
examiner ruled heroin caused his death, Royal Oak sought the life charge.

O'Donohue said there is no evidence Liddell played a part in any 
other heroin overdoses in Royal Oak.

"I think it's a good thing when you're getting the people responsible 
off the street," said Royal Oak Fire Chief Wil White. "It's part of 
the process; you've got to reach the people who are doing it. This is 
good news for the police department and for the people of Royal Oak."
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