ST. GEORGE – Six individuals, ranging from 17-23 years of age, ended up in the hospital Saturday morning after displaying drug overdose symptoms following a Friday night party.
The initial overdose call came in at 9:40 a.m. Saturday, St. George Police Sgt. Sam Despain said, reporting that a 17-year-old female was experiencing a possible drug overdose at the Rebel’s Roost Apartments, a Dixie State University off-campus housing complex located at 83 S. 1000 East in St. George.
It was additionally reported that five other individuals – males and females – in the housing complex were either unresponsive or very sick and vomiting, Despain said.
“These individuals had reportedly been to a party and had taken something which we think had led to cause them to be sick,” he said.
St. George Police began an investigation into the incident and obtained a search warrant to search the housing unit for the substance or substances that had been used.
“We recovered what we expect to be hash oil, which is a derivative of marijuana,” Despain said, “and it is what we believe contributed to those individuals becoming ill.”
Two of the individuals were transported by ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Despain said, and four others were transported by private vehicle to the emergency room – all with the same symptoms of being sick and vomiting. All were suspected of ingesting what police believe to be the hash oil.
“When (emergency responders) got there,” St. George Police Lt. Joe Hartman said, “they were told that they had a woman who had taken some prescription drugs. After looking into it further, they didn’t believe that was the case, and later learned that multiple people in the apartment complex had taken what they believed was some highly concentrated THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the active constituent of marijuana and hashish).”
In addition to the hash oil, several items of drug paraphernalia were located during the search, Hartman said.
Despain didn’t rule out the possibility that the hash oil was compounded or mixed with another substance but said that has yet to be determined.
“We’re still interviewing those involved and people that were there, trying to determine who and how they got this substance, and looking at all possibilities of whether there were any other drugs involved – that may be the case. However, right now, it’s still under investigation,” Despain said.
At the time of this publication, no arrests have been made. Nonetheless, charges may be pending when the investigation concludes, he said.
Despain added he did not know the current condition of the six individuals at the time this report is published.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Ed. note: Views on the safety and possible side effects of marijuana vary. Full analysis of alternate views and medical studies is beyond the scope of this report.
Related posts
- Judge dismisses drug charges; good Samaritans don’t finish last
- Woman arrested after reporting overdose; no Good Samaritan Law immunity?
- Man arrested after overdosing on heroin at Coronada Inn & Suites
- Overdose law gives immunity to drug-using good Samaritans; Washington County statistics
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.
This drug overdose call is being handled better than the last one where drugs were also.found…everyone remember how that overdose call turned out?
Yep! It’s good to see law enforcement has been brought up to speed.
I just think this should be more about whether they’re alright or not. Not if they got arrested. Jeez life is … sometimes.
Ed. ellipsis.
This one is about whether they are alright or not and not about being arrested before further investigation. Unlike last time the girl called 911 and saved the guys life and she got arrested on the spot
Stupid kids. And there are adults just like them. Don’t do drugs, people. For one thing, I don’t want the problems that causes in my town. We have a great place to live. Don’t mess it up.
Should have passed on seconds with the brownies.
LOL
Most likely a good headache and slap on the hand. It would have been made known if they weren’t ok. The focus should not be on the suspected “Hash oil” but on the contributing factors like the paraphernalia or the not mentioned. Alcohol seems to sound probable, along with, as mentioned, prescription drugs,”not the case”. Drinking and pharmaceuticals kill people. Not marijauna or it’s derivatives.
Hey THINKING, maybe you should read where the article said, “Despain didn’t rule out the possibility that the hash oil was compounded or mixed with another substance but said that has yet to be determined.”
And that quote is also aimed at Tyler and Keaton’s comment.
I agree there has got to be more to this party than just hash oil. I hope STG news does a follow up so we know what else they may have ingested. If it wasn’t what the kids expected, I hope they are smart enough to turn in the person who sold it to them. That person could kill someone by selling a drug that is not what it seems.
Could have been any one of those traveling unlicensed pharmacists we’ve been reading about, here on STGNews.
Agreed!
hash? Really? Drug overdose? … retards! Get real. Hash? Really?!!!
Ed. ellipsis.
No one was dancing so there were no arrests.
Um this article is crap. You Cannot overdose on thc impossible never has there ever been a case were anybody has overdose and it died smoking, eating, drinking marijuana ever those kids are doing something else no way they overdosed on marijuana. Good luck with this town with attitude like this about marijuana. #endthewarondrugs #legalizeit
just good kids having a bit of fun. nothing to worry about.
Wanna bet they get harsher reprimands than the drunk Washington County Sheriff who wrecked the sheriff truck with his kids and a weapon?
Ed. note: The person Koolaid is referring to was not the sheriff but worked for his office.
Haha….KOOLAID got schooled. A sheriffs deputy actually. Way to go Joyce.
I’m devastated.
😀
Six of them hallucinating? They seem like prime candidates for mayor and city council.
LOL
Sounds like a fun party! take drugs, get sick, puke, see big dragons, go to the ER, end up on the news; MY KIND OF FUN!!
In other places, this sounds like a church revival, the ones where they drink arsenic or handle poisonous snakes for Jesus. Doesn’t the temple have secret rituals like that to prove one’s worthiness?
THC does not make you vomit… And you cannot overdose on it. Maybe Saint George wil catch up with current information and technology.
No one gets sick from hash oil. Ridiculous to even say sich a thing. Probably food poisoning from the cheapskate brothers that own the MickyD franchises in SG.
Somebody needs to go back to drug school . this wasn’t a hash oil OD
thats the integrity and logic of the head of drug task force. Dt. Despain is a flaming imbasole. Try a simple Google search of drugs that cause that kind of reaction. My taxes pay for this piss poor detective work?
I am amazed at all the local “illicit drug experts” who comment on what and what didn’t cause the ODs. Actually I’m glad to know that they live amongst us. Makes me that much more aware of the type(s).
I’ve learned a lot about how people overdose on the church koolaid and the brain damage it causes, not to mention how those church koolaid addicts suddenly start spending their money on more church koolaid. Dangerous stuff.
Seriously, do you even have a life?
Is this one of DoTerra’s oils?
how can the “journalist” responsible for this crap article live with themselves? the headline implies that the authorities know what caused the illness, and they don’t. this is a flimsy excuse for reporting, go back to school and learn how to relate the facts of the story without using your biased assumptions.