By Brandi Makuski

Two Plover men face drug-related charges following a drug deal which left one woman in a coma.

A caller reported a possible drug overdose on the 2500 block of Forest Dr. in Plover shortly before noon on Oct. 1. When officers arrived, paramedics were already treating a woman, who was described as “very sickly, grey in color and was having issues breathing.”

Jeffery Jones. (Courtesy Portage Co. Jail)

The woman was transported to the hospital, where she remained in a coma for at least two days after the incident. Her current condition was not immediately available.

Outside the home, police observed Jeffery Jones, 55, who appeared hiding something inside a Ford Explorer parked at the residence. According to the complaint, he initially refused to show his hands to the officers, but was eventually handcuffed while officers searched the vehicle.

Police found two bags of methamphetamine weighing over seven grams, along with a meth pipe, inside the vehicle. A man who lived in the trailer, Shannon Dio, admitted to having just sold the meth to Jones, according to the complaint.

Dio, 39, was reportedly “nervous and avoided eye contact”, according to the complaint. When police frisked Dio, they found about $20 in cash, a small pocket knife and glass vial containing what was later confirmed to be two grams of heroin, the complaint reads.

A search of the home uncovered a total of 43.3 grams of methamphetamine broken into various quantities and $5,700 in cash.

When interviewed by police, Dio said he gave the woman “a line of heroin on a clipboard” about 30 minutes before she overdosed. Police noted a small amount of heroin was still visible on the clipboard at the time of the search.

He also told police he “fronted” Jones “two eight balls” of meth just prior to police arriving, for which Jones owed him $500, according to the complaint. Police later determined it was the same bags of meth which Jones was attempting to hide in the vehicle parked outside.

Dio also said he had been selling “larger quantities of methamphetamine” to other drug dealers in the area for the past few months, and himself had purchased up to three pounds of the drug at one time for resale.

Dio faces almost 50 years in prison if convicted on charges of possession with intent to deliver meth, delivery of heroin and possession with intent to deliver heroin. He is currently free on a $2,500 cash bond, and returns to court Dec. 5.

Jones, who is free on a $500 cash bond, is charged with possession with intent to deliver meth, second offense, possession of drug paraphernalia, repeat offender, and repeat felony bail-jumping. He faces more than 10 years in prison and returns to court on Dec. 19.

Both men pleaded not guilty to their respective charges at separate hearings in November.