Iowa City man accused of taking dying wife’s painkillers for himself

IOWA CITY - An Iowa City man is accused of stealing his dying wife's medication.

According to Iowa City police criminal complaints, from February through March, 44-year-old Scott A. Kahler was the primary care taker for his wife, who is under hospice care. Police said Kahler's wife was taking medications for her conditions, including oxycodone and hydromorphone, opioid painkillers.

Police said rather than administering those medications to his wife, Kahler was stealing them and replacing them with other prescription drugs, including one she was not prescribed to take, police said.

Kahler was taking the painkillers he was stealing from his wife, the complaints state. He has been arrested and faces charges of controlled substance violation and two counts of administering harmful substances. If convicted of all three offenses, Kahler could spend up to 12 years in prison.