Former teacher aide case dismissed after she receives treatment | Journal-news

MARTINSBURG — After receiving “emergency medical treatment,” a former Berkeley County teacher aide’s misdemeanor drug charge has been dismissed, according to the Berkeley County Prosecutor’s Office.

Alexandria Callie Tost, 26, of Martinsburg, was charged on Sept. 25 with a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance without a valid prescription after school officials and police suspected her to be under the influence at a local school in September.

Tost, who had been a teacher’s aide at Eagle School Intermediate since Aug. 15., resigned shortly after the incident, which was accepted at a Berkeley County Board of Education’s semi-monthly board meeting, according to Berkeley County Schools Director of Communication Elaine Bobo.

Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Catie Wilkes Delligatti said the case was dismissed pursuant state code, “which generally sets forth that if an individual who receives emergency medical treatment due to the adverse effects of controlled substances and thereafter participates in and completes a substance abuse program approved by the court, that person is immune from prosecution for simple possession of a controlled substance.”

Tost provided the court with documentation that she attended a 28-day inpatient drug rehabilitation program in Parkersburg, according to assistant prosecutor Ray Boyce.

After investigations into the case, Tost was taken by ambulance to Berkeley Medical Center for treatment, court records said.

The program she was subsequently enrolled in required six to seven hours of daily group counseling sessions as well as regular urinalysis, Boyce said. He added that she also continues to attend AA/NA meetings regularly.

The court deemed this treatment regimen appropriate, and the state did not object, Boyce said.

“While we can’t speak for the Legislature, and our office must always adhere to our core mission of prosecuting violations of the laws of our state, we support giving individuals an opportunity for rehabilitation when appropriate,” Delligatti said.

On Sept. 14, Berkeley County Deputy C. Wilmer responded to the school after school officials advised Tost appeared to be under the influence of something and was acting “frantic”, court records said.

Upon arrival, Wilmer said in a criminal complaint that he spoke with Tost in the principal’s office and observed her to be shaky and have “pinpoint” eyes. Tost later allegedly admitted to Wilmer that she used heroin before going to the school.

“The accused further stated that she had gotten into an accident in March, lost her job and didn’t have money for the pain pills, so she turned to heroin because it was cheaper,” Wilmer said in the complaint.

Tost stated she had been using heroin “off and on” since March, court records said. Wilmer said she also admitted to smoking marijuana the night before she was arrested and was prescribed Adderall and Trazadone.

She also admitted to having heroin in between her cellphone and phone case, court records said. A folded piece of paper was then located in the staff bathroom with a white powdery substance inside, which she admitted was hers, records said.

The substance was tested at the sheriff’s department and was positive for fentanyl, the complaint said.

“The accused said that she has never intentionally used fentanyl and had no knowledge of any fentanyl being present in the stated heroin that was used on this date,” Wilmer said in the complaint.