Shooting suspect faces drug charges
David Cole | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 13 years, 7 months AGO
COEUR d'ALENE - A 27-year-old North Idaho man, who was involved in a downtown Coeur d'Alene shooting incident in December 2009, has now been arrested for suspected drug activities.
Adam M. Johnson, who allegedly shot and seriously wounded two Moses Lake men, was being held Monday at Kootenai County jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. His combined bond is $10,000, a jail official said.
A police report said Post Falls SWAT team members entered a home at 4990 E. Frazier Drive on Friday evening believing there was ongoing illegal drug activity at the residence, following tips and investigation.
Johnson was among the people inside when police executed a search warrant.
Johnson was located in a bedroom, where police also found a syringe loaded with a brown liquid that police believe was heroin.
Johnson told police the syringe wasn't his, and that he didn't know who it belonged to.
"It should be noted that when Adam was searched he had a plastic tube/straw, with a brown residue inside, on his person," according to the police report. "This type of item is commonly used to ingest/inhale drugs."
Other individuals also were arrested at the scene.
Civil lawsuits against Johnson stemming from the 2009 shooting incident in downtown Coeur d'Alene have been put on hold by a bankruptcy filing by Johnson. One of the civil suits was scheduled to go to trial Monday.
Johnson filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Coeur d'Alene, listing $75,000 in liabilities.
Much of the debt Johnson listed in his bankruptcy filing includes unpaid credit card and medical bills.
His bankruptcy attorney, Cameron Phillips, couldn't immediately be reached for comment Monday.
Johnson is being sued by Brandon R. Burgess and Bradley J. Phillips, both of Moses Lake. Burgess was shot in the abdomen and Phillips was shot in the leg in an after-hours altercation with Johnson on the 200 block of Sherman Avenue.
Both men are listed in Johnson's bankruptcy filing as creditors holding unsecured non-priority claims.
Lloyd Herman, a Spokane attorney representing the Moses Lake men in their civil suits against Johnson, said Monday all collection actions, including his clients' claims, are on hold.
Burgess "almost died," Herman said. Both Burgess and Phillips were 25 years old at the time of the shooting.
They are seeking money for medical bills, pain and suffering, Herman said.
Felony shooting charges against Johnson were dismissed in January 2010 on grounds of self defense. A grand jury decided Johnson would not be tried for attempted murder and aggravated battery charges.
A few months ago, Johnson was charged with carrying a concealed weapon while under the influence, which is a misdemeanor. That charge is connected to the shooting incident.