Daniel Guzman, 24, was charged with obstruction of justice and evidence tampering.
Talia Salzano, pictured here in a file photograph, graduated from South Brunswick High School in 2014. SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- A township man has been charged with obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence after police say he altered the scene where a teenager died of a heroin overdose.
Daniel Guzman, 24, was charged after a four-month investigation into the August death of Talia Salzano, a 2014 graduate of South Brunswick High School.
Police said Guzman was unable to wake Salzano after she overdosed. Before calling the police, Guzman cleaned up evidence of drug use and altered the scene at the Pear Street residence, authorities said.
Guzman also told people about the investigation in an attempt to thwart it, and misled authorities in the following hours and days, police said in a news release Monday.
"There are laws designed to protect those who call for assistance when someone is in distress," South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said in a written statement. "Our officers are equipped with medication to reverse the dangers of heroin. We have used the medication more then a dozen times to reverse the impact of heroin with success. In this case not only did the person not get help for his friend, he altered the scene and provided false information."
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/12/no_one_wants_to_live_in_herointown_nj_addicts_need.html
The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and the county medical examiner assisted in the investigation.
Guzman posted $5,000 bail, police said, and could face up to three years in prison if convicted on the fourth-degree charges against him.
Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
