By Shereen Siewert
A 39-year-old Wausau man accused of providing heroin to a Wausau man who overdosed and nearly died is jailed today on a $50,000 cash bond, facing multiple felony charges connected to the incident.
Nicholas Friedrich faces charges of first degree recklessly endangering safety, manufacturing or delivering heroin, maintaining a drug trafficking place and possession of narcotic drugs. He made an initial appearance Thursday in Marathon County Circuit Court.
Police were called at 4:39 p.m. April 21 to a residence in the 2500 block of N. Sixth Street in Wausau for a report of a 25-year-old man who used cocaine, heroin and marijuana in the garage and was overdosing, according to court documents. Wausau Fire personnel administered NARCAN to the man while at the scene before transporting him to a local hospital for treatment.
Through the course of the investigation, police learned the man allegedly bought heroin several times on the same day from Friedrich, then went to a friend’s house to inject the heroin, where he nearly died.
Police obtained a warrant and searched a home where Friedrich had reportedly been staying, in the 1400 block of S. 14th Avenue, late the night of April 21. There, they allegedly discovered heroin, drug paraphernalia and information identifying Friedrich. Charges were filed April 24.
Friedrich is also facing theft charges in a separate case filed one day earlier.
A preliminary hearing is set for May 6.
