Washington County Sheriff Issues Overdose Alert

STILLWATER, MN — The Washington County Sheriff's Office is issuing an overdose alert as officials see the same spike in deadly overdoses as in Saint Paul and other metro communities. Four people in the area have died in the last two weeks of suspected overdoses, with two of the deaths being in the last 24 hours, authorities in Washington County said.

Nalaxone, a life-saving medication used during an opioid overdose, was also used four times in the past two weeks by law enforcement to revive those who suffered from a potential overdose.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office, along with participating police departments, utilize an overdose mapping program called ODMAP to monitor overdose spikes.

The recent spike in overdoses could be contributed to potent heroin or other narcotics mixed with fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, according to a news release.

Official reports in the coming weeks will determine if the recent deaths can be contributed to opioids or synthetic opioids. Washington County Drug Task Force detectives are working to locate the source.

Physical signs of heroin overdose include:

• Face is extremely pale or clammy to touch
• Breathing is very slow or stopped
• Body is limp
• Fingernails or lips are blue or purple
• Vomiting or making gurgling noises
• Cannot be woken up from sleep or unable to speak
• Slow heartbeat and/or low blood pressure

The following should be done in the event of an overdose:

• Call 911 immediately if someone is overdosing
• Use naloxone (Narcan) if a person is having a suspected overdose
• Seek help through a chemical dependency treatment center.

Minnesota has a "Good Samaritan Law" protecting people from being charged or prosecuted if they act in good faith while seeking medical assistance for someone who is overdosing.

"Though one death is too many, this spike in overdoses and related deaths is truly concerning, especially considering how significantly it is affecting the young adults in our community," Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry said in a statement.

"As with every overdose death, I have directed our Drug Task Force to use every available resource in an attempt to find those responsible for spreading this deadly substance."