Westmoreland County couple found with kids, needles after fleeing overdose scene, police say

Greensburg police said they charged a couple with child endangerment and drug possession Tuesday, days after they fled a city apartment where a man fatally overdosed.

Glenn A. Levtzow, 36, of Greensburg and Erin Long, 34, of Ruffsdale were discovered with their two children, ages 3 and 6, along Alwine Avenue shortly after 34-year-old Ryan Powell of Youngwood overdosed on heroin in a West Pittsburgh Street apartment, Detective John Swank said in an affidavit of probable cause.

A female witness who discovered Powell unresponsive in a bathroom told Swank that Levtzow and Long had left the residence about 7:15 p.m. and might be “hiding from the police” in a car nearby, according to court documents.

Swank reported that Narcan, which can reverse an opiate overdose, was administered to Powell. He was transported to Excela Health Westmoreland hospital in Greensburg. He died Nov. 20, Swank said.

An investigation into a more serious charge of drug delivery resulting in death is ongoing, pending toxicology reports that could take weeks, Swank said.

When police found Levtzow in the car that night with the children, he told officers that Long had walked to a nearby convenience store.

Swank said police confiscated two hypodermic needles and two empty heroin stamp bags from the vehicle, and a syringe and metal spoon with heroin residue from Long's pants. Inside the apartment, police found three empty heroin stamp bags near the bathroom where Powell overdosed.

The female witness told Swank that Levtzow purchased the heroin from a dealer in Duquesne, then picked up Long and the children and went to the Greensburg apartment where Powell, Levtzow and Long used the drugs.

When Powell wouldn't answer the bathroom door after injecting the heroin, Levtzow found him unresponsive on the floor, he told Swank.

“Levtzow became scared, so he and Long took their children and left the apartment,” Swank reported.

Police said the county children's bureau was immediately contacted and both children were removed from the parents' custody.

Greensburg District Judge James Albert ordered Levtzow be held in the county prison after failing to post $75,000 bond. Long is expected to be arraigned this week.

Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib.