A deputy saved a 40-year-old arrestee after using department issued Narcan. The incident occurred at about 9:30 AM yesterday when, at the Graton Casino, a deputy was checking out a suspicious white Toyota Corolla in the parking lot. The deputy made contact with the Santa Rosa man in the driver’s seat and determined he had a felony violation of parole warrant.
The deputy arrested the man and had found evidence of recent opiate use in the car. The man was also lethargic and nearly falling asleep during the contact, which is a sign of opiate abuse. As the deputy walked the man back to his patrol car, the man went limp and collapsed to the ground.
The deputy assessed the man and found that he had a very faint heartbeat and shallow breathing with his eyes rolled back in his head. The deputy realized the man was in medical distress and likely needed Narcan, which is a drug that almost immediately reverses the effects of opiates. The deputy retrieved his department issued Narcan and administered it to him. He also used a bag valve mask to assist the man in breathing. Within moments the man regained consciousness.
Paramedics were called to the scene and the man was transported to a local hospital for treatment before being booked into the Sonoma County Jail on his warrant.
This is the first time the Sheriff’s Office has used Narcan on someone in medical distress and it likely saved his life. The Sheriff’s Office has been carrying Narcan in all patrol cars for about 6-months after purchasing the drug and training deputies on the use of it.
CR 190711005
