Heroin Deaths In Joliet, Will County Highest In Years

JOLIET, IL — The number of heroin overdose deaths in Joliet and Will County in 2019 has already surpassed the annual totals for the past three years, according to data compiled by outgoing Will County Coroner Patrick O'Neil.

As of Dec. 9, Will County had 121 accidental drug overdose deaths so far this year, including 86 deaths from the use of heroin or fentanyl.

Last year, Will County had 80 heroin/fentanyl overdose deaths. In 2017, the total was 85. In 2016, there were 76 heroin deaths, according to the coroner's data.

Some public officials in Will County maintain that community outreach, including presentations to high school students and youth, is key to combating the heroin epidemic in Will County. Others argue that police agencies such as in Joliet and the Will County Sheriff's Office should devote more officers to targeting the dealers who bring dangerous drugs into the area.

Patch compiled a community-by-community breakdown for all confirmed heroin overdose deaths so far in 2019 in Will County. It should be noted that the current death total of 86 is likely to rise because toxicology screens often take four to six weeks before the lab results are back.

All the deaths listed below were caused by heroin/fentanyl unless additional contributors factors are noted.

JOLIET, population 149,000, 41 deaths

Nov. 5, male, white, age 56

Nov. 1, male, white, age 42, also cocaine and alcohol intoxication

Oct. 29, male, white, age 50, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication

Oct. 28, female, white, age 42, also involved opiate intoxication

Oct. 24, male, white, age 28, also involved cocaine

Oct. 21, male, black, age 58, also involved cocaine

Oct. 13, male, white, age 36

Oct. 10, male, white, age 23

Oct. 5, female, black, age 47, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication

Sept. 29, (2 cases) black, male, age 30, also involved cocaine, in Joliet; male, white, age 32, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication, in Joliet Township

Sept. 26, male, white, age 57, also involved alcohol and coronary atherosclerosis

Sept. 25, male, white, age 60, also involved cocaine

Sept. 24 (1 case, 2 deaths), female, white, age 39, also involved cocaine; male, white, age 29, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication

Sept. 23, male, black, age 28

Sept. 22, male, white, age 40, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication

Sept. 21, female, white, age 36, also involved cocaine

Sept. 12, female, white, age 36

Sept. 8, female, white, age 47, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication

Aug. 31, female, black, age 56, also involved cocaine

Aug. 19, female, white, age 30, also involved cocaine

Aug. 2, female, white, age 37, also involved cocaine

July 27, male, white, age 31, also involved cocaine and methadone intoxication

July 24, male, white, age 51

July 23, male, white, age 49, also mitragynine and etizolam intoxication

July 4, male, white, age 39

June 18, male, white, age 37

May 13, male, white, age 27, Joliet Township

April 27, male, white, age 29

April 6, female, white, age 46

March 15, male, white, age 21, cocaine and alcohol intoxication

March 9, female, white, age 26, anoxic encephalopathy, with a clinical history of fentanyl intoxication

Feb. 22, male, white, age 66, also involved cocaine intoxication

Feb. 14, (two cases) male, white, age 37, and female, white, age 48, involving cocaine intoxication

Feb. 10, male, white, age 24

Feb. 4, (two cases) male, white, age 21, and female, white, age 46, also involveing anoxic encephalopathy and cocaine intoxication

Jan. 25, male, white, age 49

Jan. 11, male, white, age 36, alcohol intoxication

NEW LENOX/NEW LENOX TOWNSHIP, population 27,000, 9 deaths

Sept. 2, male, white, age 31, also involved cocaine

July 29, male, white, age 33, also involved cocaine

July 25, female, white, age 32, also cocaine

April 11, male, white, age 34, also involved dehydration

March 30, male, white, age 30, also involved alcohol intoxication

March 27, female, white, age 44, also involved butalbital intoxication

March 14, male, white, age 22

Feb. 16, female, white, age 37, also involved alcohol intoxication

Feb. 5, male, white, age 35

BOLINGBROOK: population 75,000, 7 deaths

Nov. 7, male, white, age 32, also involved alcohol intoxication, bronchial asthma and cold exposure

Oct. 20, male, black, age 23, also involved cocaine

May 20, male, white, age 50,also involved cocaine and alcohol

March 9, male, black, age 39

March 16, male, white, age 34

Feb. 23, male, black, age 54, also involved coronary atherosclerosis

Jan. 6, male, white, age 54, also involved carfentanil, xylazine and cocaine intoxication

LOCKPORT/LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP, population 21,000, 6 deaths

Sept. 22, male, white, age 36, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication

May 26, male, white, age 61, also involved cocaine intoxication

May 5, male, white, age 30, also involved alcohol and cocaine intoxication

April 7, female, white, age 34, also cocaine and xylazine intoxication

March 7, male, white, age 26

Feb. 16, male, white, 38,

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (near Beecher) 3 deaths

Nov. 10, female, white, age 50,

July 10, male, white, age 47, also involved cocaine

May 18, male, white, age 29, also involved cocaine and mitragynine intoxication

CREST HILL, population 21,000, 3 deaths

Aug. 13, male, white, age 40, also involved cocaine

May 26, male, white, age 26, also involved loperamide intoxication

Jan. 26, male, white, age 36, also involved tramadol and cocaine intoxication.

BRAIDWOOD, population 7,000, 2 deaths

July 6, male, white, age 25, also involved cocaine and alcohol intoxication

Feb. 27, male, white, age 39, also involved cocaine

ROMEOVILLE, population 40,000, 2 deaths

April 15, male, white, age 45, also involved alcohol intoxication

March 11, male, white, age 28

ELWOOD, population 2,000, 2 deaths

July 28, female, white, age 35

Jan. 20, male, white, age 42, also involved mitragynine intoxication

CRETE TOWNSHIP, 1 death

March 26, female, white, age 43, also involved alcohol intoxication

CHANNAHON, population 13,000, 1 death

Aug. 30, male, white, age 58, also involved alcohol intoxication

PLAINFIELD/PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, population 40,000, 1 death

May 4, male, white, age 49

LEMONT, 17,000 population, 1 death

Aug. 2, male, white, age 17

SHOREWOOD, 17,000 population, 1 death

Oct. 22, female, white, age 24

FRANKFORT TOWNSHIP, 1 death

Jan. 9, male, white, age 25

MANHATTAN, population 7,000, 1 death

Jan. 2, female, white, age 47, also involved alcohol intoxication

WILMINGTON, population 6,000, 1 death

Oct. 13, male, white, age 28, also involved xylazine intoxication

PEOTONE, population 4,000, 1 death

Feb. 24, male, white, age 35

Illinois Department of Corrections: 1 death

June 20, male, black, age 62

Police agency not listed/delayed death:

Oct. 27, male, white, age 22, complications from anoxic encephalopathy and status post-opiate intoxication