The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

July 8, 2008

Man’s death brought pot to cop’s attention

The Sandy Creek Township home where police found a Meadville man dead in a hot tub Saturday morning was also the site of a drug bust a few hours later, authorities said.

Timothy W. Boura, 31, was found dead in the hot tub at 574 Lake Road the morning after a Fourth-of-July party there, police said.

Boura was pronounced dead at 5:55 a.m. by Mercer County Deputy Coroner John Libonati said. Shortly after, police said they found marijuana growing outside the house.

While investigating Boura’s death, state trooper Troy L. Owen said he was standing outside the house when he saw eight plants growing inside in plastic cups.

Owen said he recognized the plants as marijuana from the time he spent on the attorney general’s Northwest Narcotic Drug Task Force.

James Mark Dishman, 59, who lives at the house, admitted the plants were his, police said. Dishman told police he planted them about a month ago and the marijuana was for personal use.

Police charged Dishman with manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dishman was released from Mercer County Jail after posting bond and a preliminary hearing on the charges is set for Monday before District Judge Lorinda L. Hinch, Mercer.

Boura had been drinking at Dishman’s party before he was found face down and unresponsive in the hot tub, police said.

A call at about 4:40 a.m. to 911 from the home said Boura had drowned, a supervisor at Mercer County’s emergency dispatch said.

Autopsy results from Eric Vey, an Erie County forensic pathologist, said foul play wasn’t a factor.

An official cause of death will come from a toxicology report expected to be completed in about six weeks, Libonati said.

District Attorney Bob Kochems said his office hasn’t opened an investigation into either incident.

“They (police) went there for a death call,” Kochems said. “It didn’t start out as a drug raid that ended with finding a guy in the hot tub. It was just the opposite.”

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