DEATH BLAMED ON DRUGS

Autopsy results released Friday revealed that Placer County Probation
Officer Michael R. Adams died of a drug overdose.

According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office, Adams, 49, died
of "acute morphine and cocaine intoxication."

Adams, a resident of El Dorado County, was found alone Oct. 22 at a friend's
Chula Vista apartment when emergency personnel responded there. The woman
who placed the 911 call to report that "a man was in trouble" was not
present when police arrived.

Adams' boss, Probation Chief Norma Suzuki, said she was "caught off guard"
when told of the autopsy results Friday.

"Michael was with us a number of years and he did a fine job at the work
site," she said. "He certainly is missed as an officer."

Adams worked for the probation department for nearly 12 years and was
employed there at the time of his death. He was assigned to the community
corrections division.

Detective Gary Ficacci of the Chula Vista Police Department, who
investigated the death, was unavailable Friday, but another police official
there stated he "believed there had been no foul play" surrounding Adams'
death. After Adams was found, Ficacci said he did not observe anything
suspicious and said he didn't expect any arrest.