Charges filed in Benton drugging

Poisoning victim Tony Feiner saw people jumping over buses one week ago while walking through the Benton Middle School parking lot after letting what he thought were breath mints dissolve in his mouth. When he saw someone walking in front of a car, he saw two of them. And two cars.

He couldn’t tell which of the double objects were real. Feiner wasn’t able to walk straight

A friend in his third-period chemistry class gave Feiner and four classmates some type of prescription medication, under the guise that they were breath mints, police said.

The boy had all kinds of candy during class — Starburst, M&Ms, and the supposed mints, Feiner said. When he asked for a mint, the boy gave him five.

The 14-year-old suspect was charged with 15 felony counts Monday, county police said Tuesday.

The counts — one for each victim — include attempt to poison, distribution of a scheduled drug on school property and distribution of a controlled substance.

Instead of chewing on or swallowing the pills, Feiner let them sit in his mouth. After a while, he spit them out. He got sick about an hour later.

The suspect is currently in an unidentified treatment facility. His court date will be set when he appears for arraignment, Detective Dennis Mangan, Prince William police spokesman, said Tuesday.

Benton Middle School is in the Hoadly area of the county.

Police say the boy gave some type of prescription medicine to friends during the school day May 14. All of the boys became violently ill, experiencing dizziness, nausea, hallucinations and vomiting. Police initially believed Lorazepam — an anti-anxiety drug — was distributed.

But tests Friday came back negative. Feiner’s doctors believe he ingested some type of tranquilizer, or attention deficit disorder drug.

“I don’t think he had any intention of harming me,” Feiner said. “I think he wanted to see what it would do to other people.”

Staff writer Daniel Drew can be reached at (703) 878-8065.