POULSBO — A suspect who called police following the drug overdose death of someone at his apartment has been released from jail without condition.
When someone is arrested, prosecutors have three business days to file charges. In this case, prosecutors didn’t have enough evidence to file charges, according to a city of Poulsbo prosecutor, who also stated that the investigation is ongoing.
Though prosecutors didn’t say which charges they were seeking, Jackson F. Suter was initially arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent — cocaine, as well as maintaining a place or dwelling for use or sale of controlled substance.
Suter, a tenant of the Hillsider 50 apartments, called police Friday, Aug. 17, to report that his friend was dead and cold to the touch.
He told police that his friend, Michelle Maleski, had been sick during the night after partying, drinking alcohol and “maybe doing drugs,” according to a certificate of probable cause.
First responders arrived several minutes later and found four patients within the apartment, according to a police report. Maleski was found on the floor of the hallway, and she was declared dead on arrival. Another female was found unresponsive in a bedroom and a conscious but disoriented female was in the living room. An unresponsive male was on the couch next to her.
The police report goes on to describe a scene in which EMTs worked to resuscitate the patients within an environment that is described as “filthy.”
A witness on scene described first responders as wearing hazmat suits. A press release from the city stated that due to the number of victims, PPD is treating the scene as potentially containing hazardous materials. As such, some of the apartments were evacuated, and the Kitsap Public Health District is managing the return of residents to their homes.
Some apartments remain off limits, however. A city representative stated that they believe any hazard is localized and not a risk to the general public.
While EMTs were working, an officer noticed a suspicious white powder on a credit card in the kitchen, according to the report. A white powdery substance was also observed on a table near the living room, as well as on a TV stand where a rolled up $20 bill was found.
“I was aware of this apartment and Suter’s reputation on dealing and selling cocaine,” an officer states in the certificate of probable cause. “I had heard from several sources both law enforcement and individuals who use narcotics.”
Suter was taken to the police station and interviewed by police. Enough information was gathered, along with a toxicology report from one of the patients that showed the presence of cocaine and methamphetamine, that a search warrant was issued for his car.
Inside, police recovered items that tested presumptive positive for fentanyl, according to the report. Over three grams of cocaine were also found, divided up into baggies. Suter was also found to have $3,800 in cash on him, according to police.
