Wiscasset Police Officer Jonathan Barnes is being praised for his quick thinking after an accidental exposure to a white powdery substance briefly incapacitated Wiscasset Police Chief Larry Hesseltine on Monday, Sept. 8.
According to statement issued Tuesday, Sept. 9 by Wiscasset Town Manager Dennis Simmons, Barnes administered a dose of Narcan to Hesseltine after the police chief became unresponsive while conducting a traffic stop in Edgecomb.
“I commend Officer Barnes for drawing on his experience and training to act decisively and without hesitation,” Simmons said.
The incident took place around 10 a.m. Sept. 8 when the Wiscasset Police Department received a report of someone using illegal narcotics while operating a motor vehicle southbound on Gardiner Road (Route 27), according to a press release from Simmons.
Joshua A. Watters
Hesseltine subsequently located the vehicle on Wiscasset’s Main Street traveling northbound toward Edgecomb. Consistent with the initial report, the vehicle was observed operating erratically, Simmons said.
Hesseltine initiated a traffic stop on Route 1 in Edgecomb and was joined shortly thereafter by Barnes. The driver was identified as Joshua A. Watters, 45, of Augusta, and a passenger was identified as George C. Bronn, 46, of Whitefield.
Both men are subject to existing bail conditions that require them to submit to a lawful search for illegal drugs and weapons and both were detained while a search was conducted, according to the press release.
During the search, which turned up suspected narcotics and other drug-related items, Hesseltine’s uniform was contaminated with an unknown white powdery substance, now believed to be fentanyl, Simmons said.
According to multiple sources, fentanyl is a extremely potent synthetic opioid that can be up to 100 times stronger than opioids like morphine, heroin, or oxycodone. Two or three milligrams can be enough to cause death by respiratory failure. Legally, it is dispensed by prescription for relief of moderate to extreme pain.
Both men were taken into custody. Bronn resisted arrest, resulting in an injury that required medical attention. CLC Ambulance Service was called to the scene and arrived to provide treatment to Bronn.
While assisting the ambulance crew, Hesseltine sustained a minor laceration on his forearm from the guardrail. Moments later he reported feeling light headed. A paramedic assessed Hesseltine’s condition as Barnes bandaged his injury. Hesseltine subsequently became unresponsive, Simmons said.
Barnes quickly administered a dose of Narcan to Hesseltine, who regained consciousness. Hesseltine was transported to MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta for observation and released later the same day. According to Simmons, Hesseltine was back in the office as usual on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
George C. Bronn
Simmons called the incident a “nightmare.”
“This is a real problem,” he said. “There is a real drug problem in this area; has been for years.”
According to Healthy Lincoln County Substance Use Prevention Coordinator Will Matteson, fentanyl has largely replaced heroin in its availability and because it is addictive and inexpensive, it is often mixed with other drugs to increase demand and cut the dealer’s cost.
Unlike heroin which requires a large agricultural operation to produce, fentanyl can be made in a laboratory for little money, Matteson said.
“Fentanyl is a super dangerous drug,” Matteson said. “A small amount when ingested can easily cause an overdose.”
Although Hesseltine was overcome only after being cut by the guardrail, Simmons said it is possible Hesseltine also inhaled an amount of the powdery substance, which contributed to the situation. He expressed relief Hesseltine had Barnes’s assistance during the traffic stop.
Had Hesseltine been overcome while working alone, nothing would have prevented the individuals from fleeing the scene and leaving Hesseltine unconscious on the side of the road, Simmons said.
Waters and Bronn are charged with unlawful possession of a scheduled drug, violation of conditions of release, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both men are currently in custody at Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset.
Bronn has also been charged with refusing to submit to arrest.
