Drug Dealer Overdosed In Front Of Cops Man Swallowed Wrapper With Heroin, Died While Officers Waited For Search Warrant

A Spokane drug dealer died in front of police Sunday after he swallowed a cigarette wrapper stuffed with heroin and it burst in his stomach, officials said.

James Davis, 41, suffered an overdose of the drug and went into seizures shortly before 7 p.m. An officer called paramedics, who arrived minutes before Davis died but were unable to save him.

About four hours earlier, police had arrived at Davis’ apartment, S814 Lincoln Place, looking for another drug dealer who had been seen in the area. Several people inside the apartment invited the officers inside to show he was not there.

Once inside, police saw drugs and drug paraphenalia and arrested five people.

Police took four of the suspects to jail. Arrested for felony possession of crack cocaine and heroin were:

Joyce K. Boggs, 37, W221 First.

Darlene M. King, 36, E820 Ninth.

Melvin A. Gay, 47, E3124 Ermina.

Gwen B. Watkins, 40, address unknown.

Police said they arrested another woman, Rita R. Edwards, 38, E2217 Second, but did not release her photograph.

While police booked the other suspects and tried to get a search warrant, one officer stayed at the apartment with Davis, said Detective Greg Harshman.

Davis, who was handcuffed in front of his body, watched football and made small talk with the officer, who was not identified. Harshman said Davis did not display signs of illness until nearly three hours later, when several people knocked on the door looking to buy drugs.

The officer had started to interview the potential customers when Davis broke out into seizures, police said.

“He was still alive when (paramedics) arrived, but he died pretty quick,” Harshman said. “There was nothing they could do.”

Police believe Davis swallowed the drugs in an attempt to hide evidence when officers came to the door. The cellophane wrapper partially dissolved inside his stomach and allowed the drug to seep into his bloodstream, police said.

Davis was a known drug dealer with convictions dating back 20 years, court records show.

Several thousand dollars in cash and drugs worth about $20,000 were found inside his apartment, including condoms stuffed with heroin in the bathroom. Syringes and pipes littered the tables and several “speed balls” - crack cocaine mixed with heroin - had been cooked and were ready to smoke, police said.