A 33-year-old woman charged with delivering drugs that resulted in an Oakdale resident’s fatal overdose in June pleaded not guilty to three felony counts, on Aug. 26, in Antelope County District Court.
Jamie Hawkins, of Oakdale, appeared before The Honorable Michael L. Long.
Hawkins faces charges including manslaughter, delivery of fentanyl, and child abuse. The charges stem from a June 23 incident resulting in the death of 34-year-old Amy Dugal.
Emergency personnel responded to a call at 604 Rath Street at approximately 11:20 a.m., after receiving a report of an unconscious male. Upon arrival, responders found Shane Sleister, 52, and Dugal, unresponsive. Both were transported to Antelope Memorial Hospital in Neligh. Dugal was pronounced dead.
According to court documents, Sleister’s heart stopped beating. Doctors administered multiple cans of Narcan to revive him.
During an interview with authorities, Sleister said Hawkins brought drugs to the residence. It was believed the drugs were cocaine. Sleister and Dugal did three lines of cocaine, and Sleister said that is the last memory he had.
Hawkins told law enforcement that Dugal and Sleister were conscious when she left about 30 minutes earlier. She claimed they were unresponsive after she returned home.
A probable-cause affidavit notes that Hawkins and her 6-year-old daughter picked up mail at the Oakdale post office and returned to the residence. Hawkins told the child to deliver the mail to Sleister.
The child took the package to a bedroom Sleister and Dugal were in and returned to the living room to play. Later, she saw Sleister on the steps and told Hawkins about him and that he wouldn’t wake up.
After hearing that Dugal and Sleister were sleeping and wouldn’t wake up, Hawkins called 911 and told dispatch that both had ingested cocaine.
Officials believe that Dugal and Sleister overdosed on fentanyl, based on symptoms the two experienced after using drugs, as well as the effectiveness of Narcan, after Sleister received it.
The Antelope County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol, investigated the package delivered to the post office and retrieved by Hawkins and her daughter.
Officials also so conducted a search at 604 Rath Steet.
After the initial investigation, a warrant was issued for Hawkins’ arrest. On June 25, she was taken into custody. Approximately a week later, she posted 10% of the $100,000 bond set by Judge Danielle Fliam.
During last Wednesday’s appearance, Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith requested that Hawkins be required to submit to drug and alcohol testing.
Long ordered Hawkins to submit to drug and alcohol testing as part of the bail conditions. According to a participant in the Nebraska Adult Drug Court program, Hawkins purportedly supplied drugs to her.
Doug Stratton, defense attorney, said Hawkins will submit to testing.
The $100,000-10% bond will remain in effect, with conditions that Hawkins not use or possess alcohol or any controlled substance with out a prescription, submit to blood, breath or urine testing upon request, and submit to search and seizure of premises, person or motor vehicle upon request.
Stratton also requested that Hawkins be given permission to travel to Texas for a week with friends and family. Smith objected, and Long denied the request.
The defense also requested that the Chevy Impala seized and impounded in the case be released. Long approved the request and ordered the vehicle be released to its owner.
She will appear Oct. 28 for a pretrial hearing.
