Tuesday, July 17, 2007 • Hoffman family files wrongful death suit against LHS

Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, July 17, 2007 edition of the Lassen County Times.

The parents of one of two Lassen High School students who died of a methadone overdose after attending a high school football game and dance last fall have filed a wrongful death suit against the Lassen Union High School District and 10 unnamed individuals.

LHS Principal Dan Lewis said he was unable to comment on the suit for this story. Public agencies commonly decline to comment on matters involving pending litigation.

On Friday, July 6, Rodney and Brenda Hoffman, the parents of LHS student Alan Hoffman, 15, filed a complaint for wrongful death against the school district in Lassen Superior Court.

Hoffman and Stephen Draxler, 17, were found dead at 7:52 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 in an unattached bedroom of the Hoffman’s residence on Inspiration Road after the two boys overdosed on methadone.

The suit alleges the district and the unnamed individuals  “negligently failed to provide proper supervision, security and protection to decedent and other students attending a high school football game, in violation of their mandatory and statutory duties … As a result of this negligence, students and non-students engaged in the distribution of a toxic and potentially lethal drug, methadone, on school property during the organized school activity attended by the decedent. As a further result of this negligence, decedent and approximately 20 other students attending the football game were provided this drug and allowed to consume and be under the influence of the drug while under the supervision and control of the respondent district and its employees … As a result of the negligence of the respondent district and its employees, acting within the course and scope of their agency and employment, and of their violation of mandatory duties, decedent was exposed to and unknowingly consumed a lethal dosage of methadone … As a further result of said negligence and violation of mandatory duties, plaintiffs have suffered the loss of the love, comfort, society and protection of the decedent.”

In February, two teenagers, a boy and a girl, were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and felony charges of furnishing methadone and conspiracy to furnish methadone in Lassen County Juvenile Court for their roles in Hoffman’s and Draxler’s deaths.

The identities of the two teenagers were not revealed because of their age.

According to Lassen High School students, the two teenagers allegedly supplied at least 21 pills to a group of students during the Friday, Sept. 22 LHS homecoming game and dance.

One of the students who took methadone that night allegedly was treated and released from Banner Lassen Medical Center the morning of Sept. 23.

Methadone, once prescribed to help heroin addicts break their addiction, is now frequently prescribed as a painkiller. The drug is especially dangerous because the dosage taken by a regular user can prove fatal to a first-time user.

At a Nov. 28 Narcotics Overdose Prevention Education meeting held at LHS, Brenda Hoffman said methadone was not a consideration in the boys’ deaths until their friends began showing cell phone pictures of the pills.

On Dec. 5, the Washoe Corner’s Office in Reno, Nev., determined the boys died of “acute methadone intoxication.” The coroner reported there were no measurable amounts of any other intoxicating substance found in the boys’ bodies.

The amount of damages sought by the plaintiffs will be revealed at least 60 days prior to trial.

LHS’ attorneys have not responded to the complaint, and no court date has been set.