Suspect linked with three meth overdoses

By Robert Cloud

A man who posted a $1,000 cash bond twice, only to be busted twice again, now needs $5,000 cash to be released.

In June, prosecutors filed three felony cases against Nickolas J. Poplawski, 26, Waupaca County jail.

Most recently, Poplawski was charged with possession of methamphetamine and felony bail jumping.

On Saturday, June 24, Waupaca Police Officer Sam Van Dinter responded to a report of a possible drug overdose at a home on Lake Street.

He spoke with the mother of Ava D. Meighan, 22, Waupaca, who reported finding Meighan lying on a mattress with a syringe on the floor.

According to the criminal complaint, the mother said Meighan has a history of heroin abuse and was unresponsive when she tried to wake her.

Van Dinter reported seeing Poplawski leave the home.

Outside the house, the officer found a syringe filled with what appeared to be meth.

Van Dinter questioned Poplawski, who initially denied that the syringe and meth were his.

Poplawski reportedly said the syringe and meth belonged to Meighan and that he had disposed of them outside the house because he did not want Meighan to lose custody of her children.

Meighan told Van Dinter that Poplawski brought the meth to her apartment, where they injected it, then walked to Lake Street and fell asleep.

Meighan was subsequently charged with felony possession of methamphetamine.

Poplawski has been in and out of jail for the past two months.

On May 6, Poplawski was arrested after deputies found him passed out in his car.

The incident resulted in charges of possession of methamphetamine, a second drunken driving offense, operating after revocation, possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor bail jumping.

Poplawski was released from custody on May 8, after posting a $1,000 cash bond.

On June 6, Poplawski was arrested again at the Waupaca truck stop when two of the four passengers in the car he was driving required emergency treatment for drug overdoses.

Police identified Dominic M. Schuelke, 19, Appleton; Steven M. Nelson, 32, Neenah; Ronald K. Knapstein, 23, Scandinavia; and Miranda Barden, 25, Waupaca, as the passengers.

According to the criminal complaint, Poplawski drove the five around the Waupaca area. He allegedly had two gem bags of meth.

They stopped at the home of Thomas Gill Sr., 57, and Thomas Gill Jr., 28, on Royalton Street. Poplawski allegedly handed a meth-filled gem bag to Nelson, who took it inside the residence.

The five left the Gills’ residence and drove out to County Trunk K where they parked alongside the road. At least four of them used the meth from the second of Poplawski’s two gem bags, the complaint says.

They then ended up at the truck stop where Barden began having seizures and Schuelke had to be treated for an overdose.

Police searched the car Poplawski had been driving. They reported finding a gem bag with meth residue and a glass meth pipe.

Officers also reported finding a bindle of meth in Nelson’s wallet.

Nelson was charged with felony delivery of narcotics, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on a $2,000 signature bond.

Schuelke was charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. He faces two other, unrelated felony cases involving forgery uttering and theft. He was released from custody on June 20 on a $5,000 signature bond.

At this time, no charges related to the June 6 incident have been filed against Barden and Knapstein.

Police also executed a search warrant at the Gills’ Royalton Street home.

Gill Jr. was charged with possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony bail jumping. He was released from custody on a $2,000 signature bond.

Charges of felony possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia were filed against Gill Sr. He has not appeared in court yet.

He was charged June 7 with felony bail jumping. Judge Raymond Huber set a $1,000 cash bond.

On June 13, Poplawski posted bond. He was scheduled to be in court that day for an initial appearance on the bail jumping charge. Charges were also filed for delivery of narcotics, possession of methamphetamine and operating after revocation as a result of the June 6 incident.

Poplawski failed to appear in court. He called the courthouse to say his car broke down.

On June 26, when Poplawski appeared on his most recent charges, Judge Vicki Clussman set a $5,000 cash bond. She told Poplawski she did not want him to be released unless he is checking into a treatment program.

As of June 28, Poplawski remains in custody.