AUGUSTA — Some 30 months after being released from prison, an Augusta man who was convicted in a drunken-driving crash that killed another person is back behind bars on an allegation that he violated probation by possessing heroin.

Roger T. Linton II, 50, of Augusta, recently was “found unconscious having overdosed on heroin at a Hannaford supermarket,” a prosecutor told a judge Friday at the Capital Judicial Center while urging that Linton be held without bail. Augusta police records show that Linton was arrested April 7 on Cony Street.

Roger T. Linton

Assistant District Attorney David Spencer said an order holding Linton without bail could be phrased to allow a bed-to-bed transfer to a long-term substance abuse treatment program, something Linton’s probation officer recommended. Spencer said Linton had been sanctioned by his probation officer since January for possessing or using drugs and not consistently going to counseling.

“My hope would be to get Mr. Linton into the treatment a soon as possible,” Spencer said.

Linton had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated operating under the influence in 2009 and was sentenced to serve an initial eight years in prison, with the remainder of the 15-year sentence suspended while he served four years of probation.

The fatal crash occurred Oct. 7, 2008, when Linton, then of Readfield, was driving a loaded steel flatbed owned by Forgotten Stoneworks Inc., of Manchester. His truck struck a vehicle driven by James J. Carey, of Belgrade, on Route 27 in Chelsea. Tests taken shortly after the fatal crash showed Linton’s blood-alcohol level was 0.12, according to investigators. Linton had three earlier drunken-driving convictions.

He was released on probation in October 2015, according to attorney David Geller, who represented Linton as attorney of the day.

On Friday, Linton denied violating probation and pleaded not guilty to the related misdemeanor charge of illegal possession of heroin.

Geller asked a judge to set cash bail on the probation violation charge, saying that Linton was a self-employed stone mason with a number of contractual obligations to meet at this time of the year.

Geller also said it was the first attempt by the state to revoke Linton’s probation.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Jeffrey Hjelm ordered Linton held without bail. “For two years by all accounts he did pretty well,” Hjelm said. “Starting with beginning of this year, according to Mr. Spencer, there have been some difficulties.”

Linton is scheduled to be back in court April 26 for a hearing on the probation revocation motion.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

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Twitter: @betadams

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