1 Death, 3 Lives Saved During Opioid Overdoses in Lake Co. So Far This Year: Police

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to four opioid overdoses so far in the New Year.

The overdoses lead to one death, a 30-year-old woman in Ingleside on Jan. 12, and also resulted in three lives saved after deputies administered Naloxone, an opioid reversal drug.

The first save of the New Year occurred on Jan. 3. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 38600 block of North Deep Lake Road in unincorporated Lake Villa at 6:37 p.m. where they found a 27-year-old man who was unresponsive after he overdosed on heroin, said sheriff’s office spokesman Christopher Covelli.

Deputies used Naloxone to save the man’s life, Covelli said.

Naloxone was again used on Jan. 8 after deputies responded to a traffic crash on Rollins Road and Wilson Road in Ingleside. One of the drivers in the crash did not have a pulse and was not breathing, Covelli said.

Deputies gathered information that lead them to believe the driver was suffering from an opioid overdose.

“They administered four doses of Naloxone and performed CPR until the 31 year-old male regained a pulse and began breathing," Covelli said.

The most recent save came this past Friday when deputies were called to the 31200 block of North Route 45 in unincorporated Libertyville at 11:15 p.m. where they found a 30-year-old man who did not have a pulse and was not breathing.

Deputies were again able to quickly assess the scene and gather information that indicated the man was suffering from an opioid overdose, according to authorities. Deputy Craig Somerville began CPR and Deputy Kevin Tietz administered two doses of Naloxone to the man. Grayslake Paramedics arrived at the scene and the man began regaining consciousness and started breathing on his own, according to authorities. He was transported to a local hospital and is expected to recover, Covelli said.

“This is another example of our sheriff’s deputies taking quick, decisive action and saving another life,” said Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran. “Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office have saved over 25 lives to opioid overdose since the Naloxone program began just over two years ago. While I am grateful for the lives saved we are currently in an opioid epidemic and are losing far too many lives to opioids.”