Homeowner falls fatally ill during drug raid

CONWAY — Faulkner County authorities believe a man who became fatally ill during a drug raid at his rural home near Conway early Thursday probably suffered a heart attack.

Coroner Patrick Moore said the body of Terry L. Sledge, 49, was sent to state medical examiner’s office to determine the cause of death.

“Our preliminary guess is probable heart attack,” Moore said.

The Faulkner County sheriff ’ s special response team, working with the prosecuting attorney’s drug task force, was conducting a search warrant at Sledge’s home at 270 Arkansas 365 about 6 a. m. when Sledge became ill, authorities said. Officers had cleared people from the home, and Sledge was outside when he began complaining of chest pains, Sheriff Matt Rice said.

Two other people were taken into custody on drug charges.

The sheriff’s office identified them as Joshua Ward, 35, and Rachel Fulwiler, 26, both of Quitman. Each was arrested on one felony count of possession of methamphetamine. Fulwiler also was arrested on two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Court dates and bail amounts for Ward and Fulwiler were not immediately set.

Officers seized $ 4,500, drug paraphernalia and 8 grams, or 0.28 ounce, of methamphetamine at the home, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Authorities said people at

the scene told investigators that Sledge had suffered from heart complications in the past. Authorities later found a nitroglycerin tablet in his pocket. Nitroglycerin is sometimes used to treat symptoms of heart trouble until a person can reach a doctor.

Emergency medical personnel

were already at the scene when Sledge became ill, per protocol during such raids. They immediately began treating Sledge, who later was taken by ambulance to a Conway hospital’s emergency room where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff ’ s office has asked the Arkansas State Police to investigate the death, the release said.