Pa. coroner charged with drug possession

CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) — A central Pennsylvania coroner was charged today with illegal possession of prescription drugs that his lawyer said he took during an official death investigation. The lawyer called it an error in judgment, saying the coroner will plead guilty and resign.

State police charged Cumberland County Coroner Todd C. Eckenrode, 51, of Carlisle, with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

Authorities allege that Eckenrode took prescription drugs for his own use rather than destroying them.

The police affidavit said an anonymous tip a year ago to Cumberland County officials led them to interview employees of the coroner’s office, who described how they twice counted the pills in a bottle on Eckenrode’s desk, and the second count was lower than the first.