A pro-active arrest by deputies resulted in saving the life of the man they arrested, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reports.
At about 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 19, deputies encountered a male subject in the roadway of Camino Lindo near Pasado. When they spoke with him, deputies learned he had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest.
Deputies arrested the suspect and, while driving to the Main Jail, noticed that he began exhibiting signs of a fentanyl overdose.
Deputies pulled to the side of the road, called for an emergency medical response, and lifted the man out of the back of the patrol car and onto the roadside.
Deputies administered two rounds of nasal Naloxone to the man who regained consciousness and began breathing on his own as emergency medical services arrived. The man was transported to an area hospital for follow-up care and later booked at the Main Jail.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to highlight this incident as an example of the danger of fentanyl use, the importance of carrying naloxone, and recognizing the signs of overdose which may include:
· Difficult to wake up
· Slowed Breathing
· Confusion
· Blue or pale lips and fingernails
If you notice these signs, call 911 immediately and give Naloxone, the Sheriff’s Office advises. An individual who is experiencing an opioid overdose needs immediate medical attention.
An essential first step is to get help from someone with medical expertise as quickly as possible. Members of the public are urged to call 911 when they suspect an overdose is occurring.
California’s 911 Good Samaritan law, AB 472, provides limited protection from arrest, charge and prosecution for people who seek emergency medical assistance at the scene of a suspected drug overdose.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to offer free Narcan at each of ira substations. Members of the public can come to the lobby of any Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Station during business hours, obtain information about a short instructional video and receive Narcan.
Below is list of Sheriff’s Office locations where the public can receive Free Narcan:
Buellton Sheriff’s Station
City of Buellton Police Department
140 W. Highway 246
, Buellton, 805-686-8150
Coastal Bureau Sheriff’s Station
City of Carpinteria Police Department
, 5775 Carpinteria Ave.,
Carpinteria, 805-568-3399
Goleta Valley Patrol Bureau
City of Goleta Police Department,
4434 Calle Real
, Santa Barbara, 805-681-4100
Isla Vista Foot Patrol
, 6504 Trigo Road,
Isla Vista, 805-681-4179
Lompoc Valley Sheriff’s Station,
3500 Harris Grade Road,
Lompoc, 805-737-7737
New Cuyama Sheriff’s Station,
70 Newsome St.
, New Cuyama, 661-766-2310
Santa Maria Sheriff’s Station,
812 W. Foster Road., Santa Maria, 805-934-6150
Santa Ynez Valley Station
, City of Solvang Police Department
, 1745 Mission Drive,
Solvang, 805-686-5000