A Poplarville man was charged with possession of a controlled substance after emergency responders were called to the site of a person allegedly overdosing on a substance.

Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Shane Tucker said emergency personnel were called out to a home on George Pearson Road at 7:20 a.m. on Jan. 15 to provide care to an individual who had allegedly overdosed on an unknown substance.

EMS personnel responded and found 24-year-old Je’Barr Locure II, who had a last known address of 27 South Ridge Lane in Carriere, Tucker said.  While EMS personnel were performing CPR on Locure, the deputy made contact with another person on scene, 42-year-old Robert Hellmers of 116 Maple St., Poplarville, who appeared to be under the influence of some sort of substance and was acting suspiciously, Tucker said. 

Hellmers was patted down for the officer’s safety, at which time the deputy found a prescription bottle containing morphine, oxycontin and Xanax pills. The prescription on the bottle was for only one of the types of pills found inside the bottle, Tucker said. 

Locure was transported to a hospital for treatment. James Hartman, media relations for St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s office, said Locure passed away at a St. Tammany Parish hospital the next day. A cause of death is pending toxicology results, he said.

Tucker said the investigation is ongoing, but foul play is not suspected to be a factor in Locure’s death. 

Hellmers was charged with possession of a controlled substance.