Athens police officer saves life of fentanyl user

By Joe Johnson

A user of the deadly drug fentanyl owes her life to an Athens-Clarke County police officer.

On the evening of February 7th police responded to a report of an unconscious drug overdose victim at QuikTrip on Lexington Road.

Upon arrival officers found the 37-year-old woman on the floor of the restroom, not breathing and her lips turning blue.

Beside her were burnt foil and a cut straw that the officers knew to be evidence of fentanyl use.

Officer Benjamin Benedict administered the opioid overdose reversal agent Narcan and the woman soon began to breathe and regain consciousness,

After declining further attention from the police and EMS and being advised that she had medical amnesty from arrest for drug possession the woman walked away.