TRAVERSE CITY — A Traverse City motel employee walked into a room to clean and found a dead teen on the floor, police said.
Traverse City police believe the teen — Brandon Kevin Hill, 19, of Arizona, formerly of Benzie County — died of a drug overdose. Officers responded Thursday to the Grand Traverse Motel on Front Street, where they said they found a small quantity of heroin and needles in Hill's room.
Hill's body was taken Friday to Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids for an autopsy to determine a cause of death, said city police Capt. Brian Heffner.
The ex-Benzie resident was back in northern Michigan on vacation, authorities said.
His death comes amid what some area officials consider a spike in heroin use.
Becky Lelito, detox director at Addiction Treatment Services in Traverse City, said she's seen an increase in the number of patients seeking treatment for heroin addiction.
"Heroin is definitely in northern Michigan," Lelito said. "It kind of went away for a few years, but in the past six months, it came back to the region. It came back pretty heavily."
The Traverse Narcotics Team handles most of the area's drug cases, including a recent investigation involving two Traverse City men accused of selling heroin to an undercover officer.
"Our heroin arrests from purchase cases and possession cases have elevated substantially," said TNT Detective Lt. Kip Belcher. "Our caseload is at least double in the amount of complaints involving heroin compared to last year. This particular drug is at the top echelon of our street-drug concerns at this time."
Heroin continues to reach the region through drug dealers from nearby "source cities," including Flint, Detroit, Grand Rapids and Chicago, Belcher said.
"It's definitely more potent than you would have seen a generation ago," he said.
Police often have difficulty tracking heroin transactions because dealers are likely to distribute it in small quantities.
And heroin is one of the most difficult drugs to kick, as users often suffer for days from painful withdrawals.
"You feel pretty miserable," Lelito said.
Region
Teen's death highlights spike in heroin use
19-year-old was found dead in Front St. motel
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Vasa brings skiers, business
Skiers aren't the only ones thrilled the annual Vasa race will proceed despite warm temperatures and little snow.
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Sparks fly over TCLP substation plan
Traverse City Light & Power wants a new southside substation to shore up its electric system, but Mayor Michael Estes fears the big site is a Trojan horse for a new power plant.
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Grand Traverse freezes pay for officials
Grand Traverse County plans to freeze elected officials' salaries and eliminate a car allowance in 2013 because of continued uncertainty over its revenue stream.
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Ex-TC teacher to waive exam in sex case
A Traverse City teacher accused of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a student is expected to waive a preliminary examination in 86th District Court.
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Blair man accused of meat-fork threat
A Blair Township man was arrested for assault after police said he threatened his girlfriend with a meat-carving fork.
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Drop-off recycling site relocating
A drop-off recycling site on LaFranier Road is being relocated.
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One dead in Kalkaska blaze
Fire and police officials found a victim about 3:30 p.m. today inside a Kalkaska Township home engulfed by flames.
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Woman pleads in horse cruelty case
A Fife Lake woman pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in a case involving several malnourished horses discovered on her property.
Continued ... - Thursday, February 9, 2012
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A changing of the guard in GT County
The 2012 elections will bring a major change of the Grand Traverse County guard. The county's long-time clerk, treasurer and prosecutor won't seek re-election this year — three officials whose combined county experience spans more than 90 years.
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Janik tapped for Leelanau administrator
Chet Janik hopes to come home. The Leelanau County board offered its administrator job to Chet Janik, who came to Leelanau as a child when his parents emigrated from Poland.
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Dog park backers plan fundraisers
Dog park supporters raised more than a third of a $15,000 goal just a month into efforts to pay for Traverse City's first park for pets. Work continues to bring in the remaining money.
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Police: Man breaks up fight with gun
Police said a man on Traverse City's east side tried to stop a fight outside his home with a handgun.
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Tased man charged as habitual offender
A man stunned by police Taser in a home invasion incident was arraigned in 86th District Court.
Continued ... - Wednesday, February 8, 2012
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Body of missing fisherman found
Authorities say a dive team has recovered the body of a 33-year-old fisherman who fell through the ice of a pond near Mesick.
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Pears to replace dead ash trees
Downtown streets in the Cherry Capital soon will bloom with the color of another fruit.
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Vasa trail in good shape for weekend
Despite unseasonably warm temperatures and a lack of significant snowfall, the 36th annual North American Vasa cross country ski race is on for this weekend.
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Acme officials defer Meijer decision
Acme Township officials deferred a decision on a long-proposed Meijer store along M-72 until a special meeting in two weeks.
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Parks smoking ban on hold in TC
City Commissioner Jim Carruthers wants more time to work on smoking rules at city parks.
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Tasers take down two suspects this week
Grand Traverse sheriff's deputies used Tasers to subdue suspects in two separate incidents this week.
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Fallen piece of wire causes power outage
Traverse City Light & Power Executive Director Ed Rice said 1,525 customers lost power Monday at 6:05 p.m. when the wire fell. Power was restored in an hour to all but 75 customers. Those remaining 75 customers had power returned at 9:20 p.m.
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Inland Seas hosts seminar on sturgeon
The Inland Seas Education Association will conduct a free public seminar on planning and research for the Great Lakes' sturgeon population.
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Police: Man assaults with aluminum bat
A man is in Grand Traverse County jail after police said he assaulted a man with an aluminum bat.
Continued ... - Tuesday, February 7, 2012
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New brew pub possible
More changes are in store for downtown's Warehouse District, where a new brew pub will serve food from an adjacent cafe.
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GT Band gives Suttons Bay $183K
Suttons Bay Public Schools received a big boost from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, eliminating the threat of a state takeover.
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Plans progress for TCL&P audit
Plans for a city utility efficiency review are taking shape.
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