Heroin Overdoses

January 8, 2016

For More Information Contact:

Sauk County Sheriff’s Office

(608) 356-4895

(Baraboo, WI) --- Sauk County law enforcement and ambulance services have responded to multiple heroin overdoses in the past 24 hours in the Baraboo and Reedsburg areas.  Two incidents involved individuals overdosing on the drug and becoming incapacitated while driving.  Two other people overdosed at a residence in the City of Baraboo on January 7.  In all of these incidents, Paramedics administered Narcan, a drug overdose antidote, to the patients to reverse the effects of the overdose.  The Narcan administrations successfully revived all four of the patients.  In addition to these incidents, St. Clare Hospital, Baraboo, has treated multiple patients for heroin overdoses in the past 24 hours.

            The Sauk County Drug Task Force is investigating these incidents.  Due to the multiple overdose cases in a short time period within the area, it is believed this is a different version of heroin than is typically used locally.  It is unknown at this time if this particular version of the drug is laced with a foreign additive, or if it is a stronger version of heroin, with the results being accidental overdoses.  At this time, investigators are working to determine routing and the distribution system for this drug.

            Sauk County Emergency Services is warning area heroin users of this apparent deadly version of the drug.  It is vital to increase public awareness and to inform them to report cases of erratic driving and on-going potential drug activity by calling 911.  If anyone has any information on this investigation, or any other crime, they should call the Sauk County Tipster line at 1-888-TIP-SAUK (1-888-847-7285).

Sauk County Sheriff’s Office                                                   Baraboo Police Department

Sheriff Chip Meister                                                               Chief Mark Schauf