State Police say a woman from the Shelocta area was implicated in the drug overdose death of a Ford City man in September of 2017.
Troopers from the Kittanning Barracks investigated the death of 41-year-old Jonathan Waugaman of Ford City. He passed away from an overdose of a mixture of drugs on September 29th of last year. Police say that Waugaman rode with Lacey Carney to the Shelocta area to buy heroin from 37-year-old Jessica Ridinger, who was in Shelocta at the time, to buy heroin. Waugaman then overdosed while he was behind the wheel of the car going back towards Kittanning. Carney, and Rhonda Claypoole of Worthington were able to get the car to an area near Crimm Road, and tried to revive Waugaman but were unable to do so. The two then stole items from him, and called 911 using his phone to report a suspicious vehicle in the area. The two also tried to destroy evidence related to their crimes and fled the scene.
Ridinger was charged with drug delivery resulting in death, possession with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communications facility and involuntary manslaughter in connection with Waugaman’s death. Carney and Claypoole face obstruction, possession of drug paraphernalia, abuse of a corpse, criminal conspiracy to theft, receiving stolen property, tampering or fabricating evidence, and hindering apprehension. Claypoole also faces a count of drug possession.
Charges against Riding, Claypoole and Carney were filed in district court last Friday.
