Officers suffer overdose after man throws drugs in their faces, authorities say

OAK HILL, W. Va. (Gray News) - Two police officers in West Virginia apparently suffered an overdose after a man threw a powder substance in their faces during a traffic stop.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office reports the incident happened on Tuesday evening when Oak Hill Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop near an overpass.

Authorities said that a passenger attempted to escape during the stop and took off from the vehicle. The officers were able to catch the man, but during the struggle he threw some sort of powder, believed to be opiate narcotics, in the officers’ faces.

The sheriff’s office said one of the officers involved collapsed and began actively overdosing. Another also began experiencing the same symptoms before an off-duty nurse who was passing by helped administer Narcan to them.

“Thankfully, an off-duty nurse and other citizens were passing by at that time and helped render aid and administer Narcan, which ultimately saved the lives of these officers,” the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office shared.

Both officers were transported to the Plateau Medical Center and treated. Medical personnel cleared them later that evening.

The sheriff’s office identified the man taken into custody as Keith Deshon Adams. However, officials said a second occupant of the car was able to escape.

Authorities said the incident remains under investigation and urged anyone with further information to contact the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department at 304-574-3590.