Charges filed against Wausau woman in fentanyl overdose death

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) — A 31-year-old Wausau woman is expected to be formally charged Thursday with providing drugs to a man resulting his overdose death.

Ashley Szarkowitz is expected to be charged with first degree reckless homicide and delivering narcotics.

According to court documents Wausau Police responded to a home on Christian Avenue on March 13 just after 1 a.m. Inside the home was an unresponsive 24-year-old man. Police said they found a powdery substance that tested positive for fentanyl.

Fentanyl is commonly found in heroin.

Paramedics administered two does of Narcan but the man did not survive.

Szarkowitz was later arrested at her home. Court documents state she told her roommate in front of police, “I gave someone heroin, and they overdosed,” when questioned what was going on.

Autopsy results showed fentanyl was the most substantial factor in the man’s death. Methamphetamine and alcohol were also found in the man’s system.

Szarkowitz is expected to make her first court appearance Thursday at 2 p.m.