Photo: Timothy Strain
A man who lists addresses in both Lakeview and Henderson and who pled no contest in late August to breaking into a medication pump in an OB room at Baxter Regional Medical Center (BRMC) — and with damaging other pieces of medical equipment — was back in Baxter County Circuit Court last Friday to enter a plea on more drug-related charges.
In the earlier case, 36-year-old Timothy Strain was put on probation for six years for damaging the medical equipment and ordered to pay $6,700 in restitution to BRMC.
The latest charges against Strain stem from a mid-October traffic stop in which a small quantity of methamphetamine, a used syringe and a substance identified only as a “green powder” were found.
Last Friday, Strain pled guilty to charges filed in the mid-October traffic stop, including possessing drugs and endangering the welfare of a minor. He was given six years probation and ordered into the 14th Judicial District Drug Court Program. He will first spend 90 days at one of the Community Correction Centers in the state for intensive addiction treatment.
In the report on the October incident, the arresting officer said the vehicle occupied by Strain and a female, 36-year-old Jessica Kupczyk, was pulled over in the 1200 block of Spring Street.
Photo: Jessica Kupczyk
The officer said there were three small children in the vehicle, and methamphetamine and a syringe were located on the floorboard and easily accessible to the children.
Kupczyk was also charged with possessing drugs and endangering the welfare of a minor.
The incident resulting in Strain’s arrest for damaging medical equipment took place Jan. 17. Mountain Home Police were called to BRMC to investigate a report. According to a member of the hospital security staff, Strain had been in his girlfriend’s room after she had given birth to the couple’s child and was believed to have broken into an epidural pump.
When contact was made with Strain, he said he had accidentally knocked the pump over and had been attempting to reassemble it.
Later in the same day, hospital staff noticed another damaged pump and a sharps container that has been broken into. The container is used to dispose of various items, such as hypodermic needles.
They also found needles wrapped in one towel and vials of prescription medication in another. The medications had allegedly been taken from a locked container.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the value of the damaged pumps, sharps container and lock box was initially estimated at $7,000.
Police learned Strain, who had a suspended driver’s license, had left the hospital in a van and driven the vehicle to a friend’s home.
When officers arrived at the friend’s residence, they saw the van in the driveway and reported seeing Strain trying to exit a side door being watched by one of the officers. Strain was taken into custody.
According to the probable cause affidavit, parts from a medication pump were found in the vehicle.
Kupczyk is due to reappear in circuit court on her charges Feb. 20.
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