Beckham County deputy gets dangerously ill after possible exposure to fentanyl during arrest
The deputy started feeling dangerously ill after arresting two suspects for drug possession
The deputy started feeling dangerously ill after arresting two suspects for drug possession
The deputy started feeling dangerously ill after arresting two suspects for drug possession
The Beckham County Sheriff's Office said it's taking action after a deputy became dangerously ill from a possible fentanyl exposure.
"I have been doing this for 25 years now, and the dangers of fentanyl is beyond anything that I have ever been or dealt with in my career," Sheriff Derek Manning said.
It's a grim assessment from Manning after one of his deputies got violently sick after being exposed to fentanyl.
Deputy Trey Hale arrested two men for drug possession early Sunday morning outside Elk City. As he was driving them to the county jail, he realized he was becoming sick – feeling dizzy and disoriented, and his face was numb.
"He was leaning on his own car, throwing up," Manning said.
The sheriff said Hale pulled over and called for help. Another deputy was there during the arrest and suspected Hale's condition was because of their exposure to fentanyl.
"Because of that, the deputy that responded and helped the deputy that was in trouble was able to just run to the back of his car where the Narcan was and get to it," Manning said.
Manning told KOCO 5 that his department has seen a big increase in fentanyl over the past few months. Now, he requires his deputies to carry Narcan on them.
"This is something we can count on seeing more of," Manning said. "What is frightening to me about it is our first responders dealing with it."
Hale has since made a full recovery.