Crystal Lake man charged in connection with McHenry overdose death

A 30-year-old Crystal Lake man, previously convicted of selling alcohol to an underage driver who was later involved in a fatal crash, now is accused of providing drugs to a McHenry man who died of an overdose in June.

McHenry police on Thursday arrested Derrick J. Buttrum, of the 300 block of West Van Buren Street, on drug-induced homicide charges – a Class X felony typically punishable by as many as 30 years in prison.

At the time of his arrest, Buttrum was free on bond for a related heroin possession charge, records show. His bond is set at $1 million, meaning he would need to post $100,000 to be released from the McHenry County Jail.

McHenry police and fire departments responded on June 28 to the 4000 block of West Main Street, where a 40-year-old man had reportedly overdosed on drugs and was unresponsive, according to a news release from the McHenry Police Department sent Friday morning.

First responders tried without success to revive the man, Richard T. Hyde, with naloxone and CPR, according to the release. Naloxone is a nasal spray that can treat narcotic overdoses in an emergency situation.

Representatives from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office could not immediately be reached to comment on further details, including why they waited six months to charge Buttrum in the overdose.

Autopsy results confirmed that the Hyde’s death was caused by a combination of Xanax, oxycodone and fentanyl, McHenry police said in the release. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can exaggerate the affects of other drugs.

Buttrum is charged with drug-induced homicide, delivery of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. He made a brief court appearance in the McHenry County Jail on Friday morning, and is due back in McHenry County court Jan. 11.

His attorney, McHenry County Assistant Public Defender Grant Tucker, declined to comment on the charges.

A Kane County judge had previously sentenced Buttrum to two years in prison after the then-27-year-old pleaded guilty to selling alcohol to a minor. The charges stemmed from a 2014 crash that killed Tiffany Taylor, a 20-year-old DeKalb woman.

Buttrum, who lived in Marengo at the time, hosted a bonfire in April 2014 where Taylor and her brother, 19-year-old Tyrus Taylor, paid Buttrum for liquor. Both siblings drank it and left early April 12, authorities said at the time.

Tyrus Taylor was driving west on Plank Road toward Moose Range Road near Sycamore about 3:40 a.m. April 12 when his 1994 Honda Accord rolled and crashed into a utility pole, authorities said. Tiffany Taylor was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene, authorities said.

Tyrus Taylor was sentenced to two and a half years of probation and three months in jail for reckless homicide in connection with the crash.