(NewsNation) — In a frightening incident, a Florida sheriff’s deputy was exposed to suspected fentanyl during a traffic stop, requiring the administration of Narcan to save his life, according to his sheriff.
The incident was captured on body camera and has prompted some law enforcement to emphasize the necessity of equipping every officer with Narcan, amid the escalating fentanyl crisis in the U.S.
Flager County deputies said the incident began Thursday when a reckless driver reportedly fled a hit-and-run and then continued to drive recklessly. The vehicle stopped and bystanders waited with the driver until law enforcement arrived.
Sometime later, deputies found the driver with narcotics, an empty Bud Light can, and a mini “shooter” of alcohol inside the vehicle.
While testing a white powdery substance, Deputy Nick Huzior experienced an abrupt and unsettling change, despite wearing personal protection equipment. In body camera footage, Huzior can be heard telling his partner he felt extremely lightheaded, shaky and could not feel his arms or legs.
Aware that the substance being tested could contain fentanyl, Huzior’s partner swiftly administered one dose of Narcan and another several minutes later.
Fentanyl, an opioid, is 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the DEA.
Flager County Sheriff Rick Staly attributes Huzior’s survival to quick thinking, emphasizing that fentanyl’s prevalence is steadily escalating within his community.
“Not only do we have to concern ourselves with armed criminals, but we have to concern ourselves with the potency of the poison that is in every community,” Staly said. “We have seized enough fentanyl over the last two years to kill everyone in our county three times over.”
Deputy Huzior was rushed to an area hospital where he was later released after treatment.
In a similar incident last December, another Florida officer faced fentanyl exposure during a traffic stop. Tavares Police Department Officer Courtney Bannick, who came close to losing her life. In her situation, law enforcement administered three doses of Narcan.
“I was lifeless there. I couldn’t help myself. I was helpless. I couldn’t help myself,” Bannick said in an exclusive interview with NewsNation.
Meanwhile, medical experts have pushed back against some videos of officers reportedly overdosing that have surfaced, saying they may be panic attacks and not fentanyl poisoning.
In August 2021, The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department stated they released the edited body camera footage of a purported incident of an officer overdosing in hopes of protecting others.
The PSA shows a trainee collapsing to the ground after touching what another officer claimed was fentanyl. His overdose was never confirmed, and toxicologists disputed it based on the video.
Doctors say overdosing on fentanyl by touching it is impossible, and overdosing by inhaling would take more than a small amount.
Signs of a fentanyl overdose include small pupils, weak breathing and a limp body among others, according to the CDC.
NewsNation affiliate WFLA contributed to this report.