Pubdate: Thu, 19 Aug 2004
Source: Tennessean, The (TN)
Copyright: 2004 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Leon Alligood, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

DRUG USE CAUSED BONNAROO'S DEATHS, MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS

Two young adults who died while attending this year's Bonnaroo music 
festival in Manchester, Tenn., succumbed to drug use, according to the 
state medical examiner.

Forensic pathologist Bruce Levy said Brandon Taylor, 20, of Lowell, Mich., 
and Amber Lynn Stevens, 22, of Flatwoods, Ky., died from "acute combined 
drug toxicity," according to autopsy reports. He ruled that both deaths 
were accidental and due to taking "too many drugs too soon."

According to Kris Rinerson of Levy's office, death occurred in each case 
"because of the combined effects of all the drugs in the body."

Comprehensive toxicology tests revealed that Stevens had five drugs in her 
body and that Taylor had three in his at the time of their deaths on June 
11 and 12, respectively.

According to autopsy reports, released yesterday by the Coffee County 
Sheriff's Department, the drugs in the young woman's system were ketamine, 
a general anesthetic also used as a painkiller and known as "Special K"; 
cocaine, an illegal stimulant; diazepam, a prescription drug normally given 
for anxiety attacks and seizures and commonly known by the brand name 
Valium; oxycodone, a pain killer available by prescription; and marijuana.

Drugs found in the young man were cocaine, oxycodone, and alprazolam, which 
is prescribed for anxiety and panic disorders and known by the brand name 
Xanax.

All of the drugs are well-known to law enforcement because they are often 
misused. In fact, they are among the drugs confiscated by local officers as 
they arrested 27 people and issued 132 citations at the June event, which 
attracted more than 90,000 people.

The deaths were the first in the three-year history of the three-day music 
festival, which has grown by about 10,000 spectators each year. Bonnaroo 
officials could not be reached for comment yesterday but in past interviews 
have said they do not condone the taking of drugs.

Stevens died two days before her 23rd birthday. She was rushed from a 
campsite on the 700-acre Bonnaroo site to Manchester Medical Center, where 
she was pronounced dead.

Taylor, who had been living in Hawaii for several months before his death, 
also was rushed to the local hospital, where doctors were unable to 
resuscitate him.

After his death, his family blamed the man's death on a congenital heart 
defect, but the autopsy report said "no congenital abnormalities" were seen 
in his heart.

Taylor's family could not be reached to address the discrepancy. Reached at 
her home, Stevens' grandmother, Willa Taylor Stevens, yesterday said she 
did not want to be informed by a reporter of the results of the report and 
otherwise declined to comment.

Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves said he was not surprised by the 
toxicology results. After this year's Bonnaroo, he said he had witnessed a 
lot of drug activity at the festival but lacked the manpower to make as 
many arrests as his officers could have made.

"We've been lucky over the years. I guess some will say that two deaths out 
of the number of people that were here is probably pretty good, but two is 
too many," Graves said.
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