CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER

Manslaughter and related charges have been filed against an Austin man who allegedly provided the drugs that caused the death of Brock L. Hooftallen, 24, also of Austin.

Charges against Steven C. Schneider, 38, are based on allegations that he gave the victim two narcotics, Fentanyl and Oxycodone, that caused him to die of an overdose early on the morning of Dec. 5, 2008.

Potter County Public Defender Brent Petrosky is representing Schneider, who is unable to afford a private attorney.

Court documents paint a disturbing picture of a party during which young adults gathered at the apartment, ostensibly to celebrate the 21st birthday of a friend, and some of them ingested sections of a pain patch and snorted crushed Oxycodone pills. Both narcotics were allegedly supplied by Schneider.

Hooftallen's lifeless body was discovered by Tara R. Donnelly, who spent the night at the apartment, when Schneider arrived at 10 am on Dec. 5 to pick up Hooftallen for work.

Schneider is also accused of tampering with evidence for allegedly retrieving a Fentanyl patch from the victim's pants pockets after emergency responders were at the scene.

A preliminary hearing scheduled for earlier this week has been postponed. Prosecutor is Potter County District Attorney Dawn Fink.

Austin Borough Police Chief Kyle Day, who has been assisted by state police from the Denton Hill barracks, has also charged Schneider with possession and delivery of controlled substances and reckless endangerment.

An autopsy ordered by Potter County Coroner Kevin Dusenbury determined that Hooftallen died of "combined drug toxicity."

"This is yet another tragedy involving drugs relating directly to a young person's death," Dusenbury said.

Schneider was arraigned before District Judge Annette Easton and released on $10,000 bail.

"Brock was a very pleasant, outgoing young man," Officer Day said. "We have to take a serious look at what's going on in our communities. This is a tragedy that could have been avoided."

Day credited the district attorney's office and cornoner's office for assisting him in the investigation.