[StBernard] Chalmette man gets 5 years after he leaves OD victim to die in parked car

[Westley Annis]

Chalmette man gets 5 years after he leaves OD victim to die in parked car

03:05 PM CDT on Friday, September 4, 2009

Michael Luke / Eyewitness News 

CHALMETTE, La. - A man received a five-year sentence in prison for negligent
homicide after leaving another man in a parked car by a vacant lot who later
died from a possible heroin overdose, according to St. Bernard Sheriff's
Office spokesman Steve Cannizaro. 

Timothy Johnson, 48, Chalmette, was charged after he allegedly put Ryan
Eisler, 31, Madisonville, in the back seat of a car after he began having
"respiratory distress involving heroin" and drove Eisler to a nearby street
and parked by vacant lot, walking home and allegedly leaving the Eisler to
die, according to police. 

The next morning, Eisler was found dead inside his vehicle around the corner
from Johnson's home by a neighbor who cutting his grass, police said. 

Police contend Eisler had gone to Johnson's home Saturday night and had
allegedly used heroin.  When he went into respiratory distress, instead of
getting medical help, Johnson, who is grandfather to Eisler's child, put
Eisler in his car, drove around the corner and turned the hazard lights on
before walking home, police said. 

"Instead of rendering help the arrested subject callously let the other man
die by placing him in a vehicle and disassociating himself from the
situation,'' Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said. 

An autopsy found the death was consistent with a drug overdose, but
toxicology tests are pending, Pohlmann said. 

Negligent homicide, a felony with a maximum five-year sentence, is committed
when someone dies because of criminal negligence and disregard for their
welfare, Pohlmann said.