CRIMINAL charges are unlikely to be laid over the death of a footballer who suffered a heroin overdose in Laverton, a coroner has said.
Jade Dorogi died on May 5, 2009, after overdosing during his first time using heroin.
An inquest at the Coroner’s Court on Friday examined the circumstances surrounding the 25-year-old’s fatal overdose, including whether he had been injected with the drug by another person.
Detective Senior Constable Corey Page said Dorogi was believed to have been a “vehement opponent of heroin”.
The court heard Dorogi had a broken left thumb, but the needle’s puncture mark was on his right arm.
“His pre-existing injury to his left thumb would have made it difficult to press the plunger,” Senior Constable Page said.
The court heard Dorogi had been using the drug with a relative on the night prior to his death, after drinking alcohol during the afternoon. The relative had bought half a gram of heroin from a house in Laverton shortly after 8pm.
The pair were spotted beside the Princes Highway, near the Forsyth Road overpass, by a passing motorist about 4.15am.
Senior Constable Page said the relative had appeared “oblivious” to Dorogi, who was slumped in the grass.
The motorist phoned emergency services, who tried to resuscitate Dorogi before he was rushed to Western Hospital in Footscray, where he was later pronounced dead.
Under cross-examination, the relative said he had taken a handful of prescription Xanax pills on the afternoon Dorogi died, claiming the dose had caused a “complete memory blackout” until he woke up the next day.
Coroner John Olle said there was insufficient evidence to determine how Dorogi died. He said he would hand down his ruling at a later date, including whether the case would be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
