BACK-TO-BACK BARNSTABLE OVERDOSES: One patient was “out” while his truck was still in gear… [VIDEO]
HYANNIS – Narcotic overdoses are ongoing; seemingly sometimes at alarming rates; unfortunately last evening was no different…
The first patient was a 32-year-old man and circumstances around his apparent overdose were alarming, to say the least.
As you will see and hear in the video, the first patient showed up in a pickup truck at a random home just off of Route 28. A woman at the home reported he first got out of the truck as if he wanted to approach the residence… but then the strange man reportedly lost consciousness in front of the home while still behind the wheel. The truck was reportedly still in gear!
The first Barnstable Police Officer to arrive found the stricken overdose patient passed out behind the wheel. The truck was still in drive and the wheels had been spinning…
Police needed to smash the truck’s window in order to reach the patient and prevent a bad situation from becoming much worse.
As you will hear, the first officer was able to find a pulse.
When HN arrived, medics were working on the patient who was laid out next to the truck on the dirt road.
First responders were able to revive the young man and he ended up being transported to CCH…
Then just minutes later, Barnstable Police got a second call for an overdose, this time about 2 and half miles away in Centerville.
The male in that scene did not appear to respond to the Narcan and did not appear responsive when being loaded into the ambulance. His condition is unknown at the time of this report.
The following video has been highly edited to protect the identity of both patients. Overdose scenes, like the ones you are about to see, play out on a regular basis, in many cases in broad daylight and in busy surroundings. They are intense emergencies where first responders do all they possibly can to save lives. Not everyone can be saved and overdose deaths have become a stark reality.
WARNING: Although much of the graphic footage has been edited out, some still may find the subject matter disturbing. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
The following documents a very real and ongoing local battle to save lives!
[Press play… Select HD in the Settings and enlarge player for best quality…]
HN NOTE: Overdoses still occur frequently in the mid-Cape area. I have not really noticed very much improvement… and I wish I could report otherwise. HN does not actively seek to cover OD scenes… but occasionally it’s important to remind everyone what we’re all up against.
I’ve noticed something in the years reporting on the epidemic. Let’s say (God forbid) a young person goes out and drinks a six pack of beer and then jumps behind the wheel before fatally crashing head-on with a tree. Such untimely deaths are covered and talked about in the media much more than overdoses.
A kid dies while driving drunk, and we might even learn about his classmates’ and high school football coach’s thoughts on the matter. The local broadsheet may even place his senior picture above the fold.
The same kid goes out and plunges a fatal dose of heroin into his arm… and we don’t ever talk about it. Nobody knows about it. A young life vanishes, as if he never existed…
I find this strange. Death caused by a six pack vs. death caused by a narcotic…
Is there really that much of a difference when all is said and done?
(To be fair, the media has made some progress in this area… but much more needs to be said.)
HN NOTE: As I am typing this (3:30AM), Barnstable Police and Hyannis Rescue are responding to yet another OD on Falmouth Road…
