Officers treated for possible fentanyl exposure

Locklear

RED SPRINGS — Two Red Springs police officers who responded to a drug overdose on Saturday were treated for possible exposure to fentanyl, an incredibly lethal drug.

It happened about 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Hardin’s Grocery at 806 S. Main St., according to a Red Springs Police Department press release.

When Sgt. Tammy Lowery and Officer Amanda Velez arrived, they found a man, whose name was not released, lying on the ground outside a car, according to the release. Two other men, Christian Locklear, 25, of the 600 block of Sunrise Road in Pembroke, and Zachary Hunt, whose age and address were not given, told the officers the man had been in the back seat of the vehicle when he overdosed on heroin laced with fentanyl.

The man was taken to Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton, where he was treated.

A second ambulance was called for the officers, even though they wore protective gear while handling the drug. They were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, and were treated and released.

Locklear and Hunt said they had gotten the drug from the Shannon area about 15 minutes earlier, according to the release.

While talking with Locklear at the scene, Velez saw a loaded Springfield XDM handgun on the vehicle console and seized it. Upon checking, Velez learned that Locklear had two outstanding warrants from Bladen County. One was for driving while license revoked, and the other was for expired registration.

Locklear was taken to the Red Springs Police Department, where a search yielded two folded pieces of wax paper, each with a powdery substance, and drug paraphernalia in one his shoes, according to the release. Locklear admitted the powdery substance was heroin laced with fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is considered 50 times more lethal than heroin or morphine. It is blamed for the death of music legend Prince.

No drug charges have been filed, police Maj. Kimothy Monroe said.

Locklear was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and failing to appear in Bladen County court on the traffic offenses. Bail was set at $775.

Locklear

Were responding to man who OD’d on heroin

Reach Nancy McCleary at 910-416-5182 or [email protected]