Willamina High School was recently the site of what police reported as a likely incident of students and a deputy being exposed to burning fentanyl. However, the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office says that the blood tests that would have confirmed this theory have been "disposed of" by the hospital.
On January 18 the Sheriff's Office reported that a student may have burned pills containing fentanyl in the school's bathroom on the 17th. Authorities allege that a deputy on the scene reported a “strong, acrid smell” before showing signs of potential overdose symptoms. Some students also reported feeling unwell. A few were taken to the hospital, as well as the deputy.
In the original reporting, the Sheriff's Office said toxicology reports confirming the presence of fentanyl were pending.
KATU reporter Evan Schreiber reached out to Yamhill County Sheriff's Office Captain Sam Elliott for a follow-up on the incident, requesting an update on the toxicology tests.
In the response, Elliott told KATU that the female deputy involved in the incident had not been wearing a body-cam, as "[YCSO] do[es] not have them yet, so there is no footage from this incident. [YSCO] hope[s] to have all staff outfitted with BWC within the next 3 months."
Elliott also stated that blood for testing was drawn from the allegedly-affected deputy at the Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville.
However, Elliott said that "The deputy was told that no tests were done, and the blood samples taken were 'disposed' of. A urine screen was requested, and [YCSO] were told that it was too far after the event for that to happen."
Additionally, the whereabouts of two pieces of foil allegedly used to burn the fentanyl collected at the scene were unknown to the YCSO at the time of the follow-up.
"I don’t know the status of the testing on the pieces of foil. The evidence items were collected by Grand Ronde Tribal Police as they have an officer assigned to the school system in Willamina as a school resource officer," Elliott said. "I believe those items were submitted to the Oregon State Police Forensic Laboratory in Clackamas."
Sara Thompson, Communications Director for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, reached out to KATU after Elliott's comment and stated that the foil evidence was sent to the Oregon State Crime Lab in Springfield.
This is a developing story, and KATU will update with new information as it becomes available.