Man arrested and charged with reckless homicide

STAFF REPORT

 A Vine Grove man was arrested on July 27 and charged with reckless homicide when law enforcement says a woman died after he gave her heroin.

According to officials, on July 18, James Dozier contacted dispatch to request medical assistance for his girlfriend, Tina Clark. Dozier initially advised the dispatcher that his girlfriend had taken the wrong medication, was unconscious and not breathing. Upon the arrival of EMS, fire and police, Dozier made a spontaneous statement that she had done dope. During the response of Deputy Kenealy and contact with Dozier, who stated that both he and Clark had snorted heroin, Clark become unresponsive. Dozier also stated that he got the heroin from Louisville and brought it to the residence. He told Deputy Kenealy that the rest of the heroin was inside the bathroom closet inside the pocket of a leather jacket, and he provided the oval-shaped wooden mirror with a brown in color powdery substance on it that was utilized for snorting the heroin. During the search of the jacket, an orange pill bottle with a blue cap was discovered. It contained approximately one gram of a brown, powdery substance suspected to be heroin. Also during the search, multiple plastic straws were recovered in addition to a red plastic top to a pen, all contained residue of the brown powdery substance. A silver dollar grinder, wooden marijuana “one hitter” box containing a metal cigarette and metal scales were also discovered. All evidence was secured, processed, and the orange pill bottle was sent to the KSP Crime Lab for analysis. Also during the interview, Dozier stated that he provided the heroin and let Clark try the heroin off the top glass portion of the oval wooden mirror. Approximately 10 minutes later, she passed out and became unresponsive. Clark was immediately evaluated and transported to Baptist Health Hardin Hospital, where she was treated and later pronounced deceased the next date.

On July 27, police returned to Dozier’s residence with a search warrant. They made contact with Dozier standing on his back porch, provided a copy of the warrant for himself and his residence. Dozier was advised of his legal rights, which he invoked and requested a lawyer. While conducting a search of the residence, a plastic pill cutter and a clear lid with a blue base inside a wooden hutch was discovered. AK-47 ammunition was found inside a USPS priority box inside the bathroom closet. Both the pill cutter and the ammunition were seized and processed as evidence.

Dozier was arrested and transported to the Meade County Detention Center.