Friday, September 4, 2009

Prescription meds blamed in death

Coroner cites lethal combination of pain medicine and alcohol

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By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Dennis A. Lyke

The Blaine County Coroner has determined that a man found dead near downtown Hailey last month died from a combination of prescription medicine and alcohol.

Coroner Russell Mikel identified the medicine Wednesday as Propoxyphene, a generic form of the pain medication Darvon. A prescription bottle of Propoxyphene pills was found in a backpack belonging to 37-year-old Dennis Allen Lyke when his body was discovered the morning of Aug. 4 in front of the Peak Media building on west Spruce Street.

Mikel said toxicology tests also showed an "elevated level of alcohol" in Lyke's body.

Lyke left behind a wife and two young daughters in Hailey. He was originally from Boise, where he was an honor student at Borah High School.

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Lyke's obituary describes him as a man with an "unforgettable laugh, sense of humor and an innate ability to find something good in everyone or every situation."

Hailey Assistant Police Chief Dave Stellers described the death as "tragic" and said Lyke had no history of trouble with police.

"I think the investigation is concluded," Stellers said. "We're sorry for the family."

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According to coroner records, Lyke's death was the 13th attributable to prescription drugs in Blaine County since 2003.

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com