(TotalConservative.com) – A Florida deputy collapsed and suffered extreme dizziness and hand tremors after merely touching an unidentified white powder recovered during an arrest on Friday, August 11th. The substance was later confirmed to be fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is incredibly potent and about 100 times more powerful than traditional morphine.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Huzior suffered dizziness and disorientation almost immediately after touching the powder. His partner had him sit down on the ground and administered Narcan to counteract the effects, potentially saving Huzior’s life. Fentanyl is known to cause severe overdoses when ingested; this is an interesting case as the deputy merely touched the drug. Experts claim the drug must be injected or ingested to have a severe impact.
Huzior had pulled over and arrested 61-year-old George Clemons for fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run accident. Clemon’s vehicle was riddled with drugs and paraphernalia, including white powders, pills, and marijuana. Clemons declined to submit to a sobriety test, leading Huzior to check the drugs with a test kit in the field. The video begins shortly after Huzior had handled the drugs and walked back to his partner asking him to call EMS for assistance.
His partner, Deputy First Class Kyle Gaddie, then has him sit on the ground while he administers two doses of Narcan. Huzior was eventually taken to the hospital where he recovered. He described the effects of the drugs as making him dizzy and causing his heart “to beat really fast.” He lost feeling in one of his hands which triggered Gaddie to administer the second dose of Narcan before EMS arrived on the scene.
Gaddie kept his partner calm with constant encouragement and reassurance throughout the ordeal. Sheriff Rick Staly published a statement on Saturday, August 12th confirming the drug was fentanyl. Clemons was arraigned and charged with a litany of drug possession, DUI, and other charges. Officers had originally pursued him for fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run accident which is a felony in Florida.
He posted $25,500 bail on Saturday, allowing Clemons a temporary reprieve from being behind bars after only spending a day locked up. He’ll be back in court at a later date.
Fentanyl is responsible for hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths every year. The drug is often mixed in with other drugs or marketed as something else.
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