Wyandotte police officers carry a man who was found slumped over the wheel of a vehicle the afternoon of March 10, near Biddle Avenue and Goddard Road, whom they later revived with Narcan.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – A passerby, coupled with a quick police officer response, likely saved the life of a driver who passed out while stopped at a light, Deputy Police Chief Archie Hamilton said.
Hamilton said a man was passed out behind the wheel, with his foot on the brake, with the vehicle in drive, while stopped at a traffic light the afternoon of March 10 at Biddle Avenue and Goddard Road.
Police officers, who found the man to be unresponsive, blocked his car with a police vehicle, to prevent it from inadvertently moving forward. The car doors were locked, so they broke a window to be able to remove the man from the vehicle to render aid.
The man was struggling to breathe, and appeared to be in imminent danger of losing his life, police said. The police officers administered two doses of Narcan before emergency medical technicians from the Fire Department arrived on scene.
Hamilton said a search warrant was obtained for a blood draw, since it was suspected that the man was under the influence of opiates, possibly heroin.
He said the man had two prior offenses of this nature, and that the third time would be considered a felony.
“After watching the body camera footage of this incident, I am convinced that this man would not have survived if it were not for these quick-thinking officers, coupled with the good Samaritan who called the police,” Hamilton said. “Although the officers were able to save the man’s life, it was the highly skilled fire personnel who made it possible for him to sustain life.”