Coach facing charges from teen's overdose

MELVINDALE, Mich., May 21 (UPI) -- A high school coach in Melvindale, Mich., is facing serious drug delivery charges after being linked to the overdose of local student earlier this year.

The Detroit News said Monday Ecorse High School basketball coach Deleon Alexander II has been charged with providing cocaine and ecstasy to a 17-year-old, who later died after ingesting the illegal drugs.

Melvindale Police Detective David Taft said Alexander, 28, and a friend went to a local strip club in March and met Stephanie Brown, a teenage dancer, and a second woman.

Taft said the four then went to an area hotel where Alexander allegedly provided the girl the drugs.

The detective said after taking the drugs, the teenager collapsed and later was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Alexander faces a potential life sentence for delivering a controlled substance that caused death.

Taft told the newspaper the charges are justifiable.

"If you give someone drugs and they die from it and we know about it, you're going to be charged for it," he said.