Man charged with dealing fentanyl

HAYDEN — A man who is expected to stand trial next week for vehicular manslaughter is being held on $250,000 bail for allegedly dealing dangerous counterfeit pills.

Joseph R. Bitner, 25, of Athol, is charged with possession of a controlled substance, as well as possession with intent to distribute, both felonies.

Deputies with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office stopped Bitner’s vehicle in Hayden late Thursday for an alleged traffic violation.

Deputies said they saw drug paraphernalia in plain view inside the vehicle.

A search of the vehicle allegedly yielded a large amount of cash, as well as more than 70 fentanyl pills that were made to look like oxycontin.

Deputies suspected Bitner of selling the pills, according to court documents.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid more than 50 times more powerful than morphine or heroin.

About one in six counterfeit pills circulating in the community contains a lethal dose of fentanyl, according to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.

Five fatal overdoses involving counterfeit pills were reported in Kootenai County during an eight-day period in May.

Those who died were between the ages of 15 and 60.

Police arrested Bitner, who was also charged in April with possession of fentanyl, heroin and meth.

Judge Timothy Van Valin ordered Friday that Bitner be held on $250,000 bail. He said he believes Bitner to be a danger to the public.

In a separate matter, Bitner is charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection to a deadly crash that occurred in July 2018.

Idaho State Police said Jesse Villa, 68, of Torrence, Calif., was traveling west on Highway 53 when Bitner’s truck hit his motorcycle.

Bitner was reportedly approaching in the eastbound lane and attempted to turn north onto Ramsey Road, where he collided with Villa.

Villa was thrown from the motorcycle and died of his injuries, police said.

Prosecutors filed charges against Bitner in March 2019.

After repeated delays, a four-day jury trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8.