Kevin Hoffman of CityPages.com is reporting that Aaron Boogaard, the brother of former Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard, turned himself in to Hennepin County Police on Wednesday to face felony drug charges in connection with Derek's death on May 13.
Aaron Boogaard, along with his brother Ryan, discovered Derek's body in his Warehouse District apartment on the evening of May 13. The coroner found that Derek Boogaard's death was caused by a mixture of alcohol and oxycodone, a powerful, pain-killing narcotic.
According to the New York Times, Aaron Boogaard would often hide Derek's supply of ocycontin, revealing their whereabouts only when Derek pushed him to do so. Derek Boogaard spent multiple weeks in NHL-mandated rehab for his addiction to painkillers and, according to their father, Aaron was the one that was regulating how much of the medication Derek was taking.
"We’re just being victimized a second time," Len Boogaard said in a telephone interview Thursday. "We lost Derek, and Aaron Nicholas was the one that found Derek. So of course he’s kicking himself. He was doing what he was doing because he was regulating what Derek was taking. He didn’t want what actually has happened to Derek to happen."
Investigators have until Friday to decide whether to press charges against Aaron Boogaard or release him. The charges, if they do come, will likely involve the illegal possession and distribution of prescription drugs.