Bad batch of heroin believed to be source of 14 overdoses

MANSFIELD - Drug overdoses are almost commonplace in the city and county.

First responders are used to handling ODs in each shift.

Still, they're not used to handling 13 in an eight-hour period, which was the case Wednesday. Mansfield police and firefighters handled 14 overdoses for the day, one during the day shift and 13 on the second shift.

"This is an extreme amount of overdoses in such a short time," Mansfield police Chief Ken Coontz said.

Coontz said it's likely the overdoses are being caused by a bad batch of heroin, but he doesn't have any proof yet.

"We don't have substances to test," he said.

The chief said many previous samples tested in the crime lab "have trace amounts of heroin, but a lot of fentanyl."

Fentanyl, a synthetic opiate used to treat pain, is a much more powerful drug that has contributed to a number of overdose deaths.

So far, no one who overdosed Wednesday in the city has died.

Firefighters often use Narcan to revive people who overdose on heroin. Wednesday's rash of ODs tested the city's supply of Narcan.

"Our replenishment supply had diminished to nothing," Chief Steve Strickling said. "We had to scramble and get some."

Strickling said firefighters collected an emergency batch of Narcan from the pharmacy and made arrangements with a second pharmacy to get more if needed.

Mansfield had to call for mutual assistance from Madison and Washington townships to handle the spike in calls.

Coontz said it's too soon to tell if the rash of overdoses has ended, but the fundamental problem remains.

"How do you convince people not to put things into their body that could kill them?" he asked.

The METRICH drug task force is continuing its investigation of the overdoses.

The worst of Wednesday's overdoses happened in a 30-minute span. Mansfield police and fire departments responded to at least eight suspected overdoses at five separate addresses. The evening spike in calls started coming in around 8:30 p.m., all within the outskirts of the downtown area.

These eight downtown area overdoses come on top of four separate overdoses earlier Wednesday, and one which occurred in Shelby.

The evening rash of overdose reports began with two on South Mulberry Street.

At least eight overdoses in Mansfield within 30 minutes

At 8:15 p.m., officers responded to the 200 block of S. Mulberry St., where a 44-year-old man was lying on the grass in the front yard. There was no evidence located. Rescue personnel administered six doses of Naloxone and transported him to the hospital.

At 8:23 p.m. in the 200 block of S. Mulberry St., a 45-year-old man was found unresponsive on a couch by a woman. He was administered several doses of Naloxone by rescue personnel and transported to the hospital. There was no evidence to be processed.

At 8:30 p.m. in the 200 block of W. First St., officers observed a 35-year-old man on his knees in the road, leaning his forehead against a vehicle. A second victim, a 36-year-old man, was found in the passenger seat of the vehicle, unresponsive. Rescue personnel transported them to the hospital. One of the victims told police they had both snorted heroin.

At 8: 54 p.m. in the 400 block of S. Main St., a 35-year-old woman was found unresponsive on a couch in her basement. Rescue personnel administered one dose of Naloxone and she was transported to the hospital. There was no evidence of drug use in the residence, according to the police report.

At 8:54 p.m. on Penn Avenue, two people were found unresponsive, one person on the sidewalk and the other on the couch inside the residence. Rescue personnel administered several doses of Naloxone and transported them to the hospital. Children were left in the care of Richland County Children Services, according to the report.

At 9:34 p.m. on Oak Street in Shelby, a man was found unresponsive and turning blue, a girlfriend told dispatch. He was revived by Naloxone and transported to OhioHealth Shelby Hospital, where he told police he had bought the drugs earlier in Mansfield.

Earlier Wednesday, Mansfield police responded to four other overdoses.

At 3:52 p.m. on Harker Street, a 30-year-old woman was found unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom floor. She was transported to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital. Burnt spoons and syringes were found in plain view in the bedroom. She was given two summonses in lieu of arrest, on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possessing drug abuse instruments.

At 4:27 p.m., officers responded to the 700 block of Springmill St. in reference to an overdose. A 23-year-old man was found unresponsive in the bathroom. Mansfield firefighters/rescue personnel administered Naloxone and he responded. He was taken to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital. He was given two summonses in lieu of arrest, on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possessing drug abuse instruments.

At 5:54 p.m., officers responded to the 200 block of  N. Main St., where a 38-year-old man was lying on the floor. Rescue personnel administered two doses of Naloxone. He was taken to the hospital. The officer submitted the burnt spoons to the crime lab. The man told police he has an addiction to heroin. He was issued two summonses.

At 6:14 p.m. in the 200 block of Park Avenue West, officers were told a male was in the parking lot, unresponsive. He was administered Naloxone and transported to the hospital. He denied using any narcotics. There was no evidence to process.

lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill