Police: Several weekend overdoses possibly result of ‘bad batch’ of drugs

Published 4:24 pm Monday, November 23, 2020

SALISBURY — In one of eight such incidents over the weekend, local firefighters had to break the window of a vehicle after a man was found unconscious following a fentanyl/heroin overdose.

According to Salisbury Police Lt. Lee Walker in each incident, all of the people were revived with the overdose reversal drug, Narcan. In one incident, the person had ingested pure fentanyl, a potent and potentially deadly opioid.

Members of the Salisbury Fire Department broke a passenger side window in order to access the occupant, a 24-year-old man who overdosed. Walker said police found a glass jar in the car with white and pink powder inside it. Someone saw the man inside the car sitting in the parking lot of Citi Trends clothing store, located at 2096 Statesville Blvd., and contacted law enforcement.

The man refused further treatment, Walker said.

Walker said investigators believe the overdoses were the result of a “bad batch” of illegal drugs.

In other incidents:

• Police responded Friday afternoon to the McDonald’s and BP gas station, located at 601 W. Jake Alexander Blvd., to a 38-year-old man who’d overdosed there.

• A 27-year-old man overdosed on heroin on Friday afternoon at a property in the 1200 block of North Long and East 11th streets.

• A 31-year-old man overdosed in the parking lot of the Speedway gas station, 827 W. Jake Alexander Blvd. late Friday night.

• On Saturday, a 38-year-old man overdosed while at home in the 500 block of Park Avenue.

• A 33-year-old man received Narcan after medical personnel responded to the BP/Rushco store, 1518 East Innes St., early Sunday morning.

• Two other overdoses took place Sunday — at a home in the 700 block of South Jackson Street after a 30-year-old man was found unconscious and Sunday at the Speedway gas station, 500 E. Innes St., after a 33-year-old woman was found.