A combination of factors led to a thirty-seven year old Covington County man surviving a suspected overdose while driving on Sandhill Church Road on Thursday afternoon.
Captain Billy Ryan with the Ellisville Police Department was headed home following a work detail in Ellisville when he encountered a vehicle on Sandhill Church Road swerving across both lanes of traffic and into the ditches on both sides of the road.
Captain Ryan was able to effect a traffic stop of the vehicle on Willie Hilbun Road where the adult male driver lost consciousness and was turning blue. Captain Ryan called for medical assistance and backup from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department.
JCSD Sergeant Derick Knight arrived on scene almost immediately thereafter and the unconscious male driver was removed from the vehicle and initially placed in the recovery position on the ground. At that point, it was determined that the man was not breathing and rescue efforts initiated including the delivery of two doses of nasal Narcan due to a suspected overdose.
“Once again the efforts of law enforcement officers and emergency medical services in Jones County saved a life and maybe several lives,” said Jones County Sheriff Joe Berlin. “Captain Billy Ryan with Ellisville PD potentially saved one or more lives by getting the impaired driver stopped before he hit someone head-on or ran over a pedestrian. JCSD Deputy Derick Knight then saved the life of the suspected overdosing male driver with Narcan.”
The patient regained respiratory functions and consciousness due to a combination of rescue efforts and Narcan delivery.  Emergency medical responders from Hebron Fire & Rescue arrived no on the scene along with additional JCSD units and continued medical care was provided until EMServ Ambulance Service arrived. The patient was transported by EMServ to South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel for treatment.
“Hebron emergency medical responders and EMServ medics then provided advanced medical care to the patient. Just a great team effort all around,” said Berlin.
