Firefighter assaulted near Lexington Cemetery while responding to an overdose
A Lexington firefighter was assaulted on West Main Street Wednesday morning after responding to a call about a man down in the road, police said.
Police Sgt. Daniel Burnett said an officer was traveling on West Main Street near Buchanan Street just before 7 a.m. when the officer noticed a man in the road. The officer stopped his vehicle and evaluated the man, police said.
The officer later determined that the man, whose name wasn’t released, was under the influence of narcotics.
The officer requested help from the fire department and administered Narcan, a prescription medicine used to treat overdoses. When the Narcan started working, the man allegedly became combative and assaulted a firefighter, said Burnett.
A combative or aggressive response to Narcan is common when used on overdose victims.
The firefighter suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Additional personnel had to help control the person who overdosed.
Burnett said the man has been charged with third-degree assault.
He was taken to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital for further evaluation.
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 10:21 AM.
