A truck driver who overdosed on an opioid was saved by a police officer who administered Naloxone or Narcan.
According to News Center 1, on Tuesday at approximately 4:20 pm, authorities were called to the Pilot Flying J truck stop in Box Elder, South Dakota for a medical emergency.
When first responders arrived, they found a 28-year-old man in his truck unconscious, blue and unresponsive.
Box Elder police officer Ricardo Olandez recognized the signs of an opioid overdose and administered Naloxone. Several minutes later, the driver was given a second dose of Naloxone.
Upon receiving the second dose, the driver’s color returned and he began breathing again. Shortly thereafter, the driver became combative. He was later restrained and taken to a hospital for treatment.
The Box Elder Police Department participates in the state’s Naloxone project. The project is a combined agency partnership with the South Dakota Department of Health, Department of Social Services and first responders. The Box Elder Police Department carriers Naloxone in each of their patrol vehicles.
The driver’s identity has not been released.