Florida cop treated for overdose after exposure to fentanyl in traffic stop
By Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald
A Florida police officer is expected to recover after her department says she was exposed to fentanyl on the job early Tuesday.
According to the Tavares Police Department, which patrols the city about 45 minutes northwest of Orlando, Officer Courtney Bannick stopped a driver around midnight. Inside the car and on the occupants were “various narcotics and paraphernalia,” the agency said on Facebook.
Bannick saw something rolled up in a dollar bill and barely opened it before noticing it was narcotics — then closed it quickly, authorities say. But just that brief exposure was enough to do damage and cause her to get sick.
A department spokeswoman confirmed the substance she was exposed to was the super-powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Medical authorities have said that incidental contact with fentanyl like this isn’t enough to enter the bloodstream and cause overdose symptoms.
Before taking the suspects to the Lake County Jail, Bannick keyed up on the radio, where she was heard “breathless and choking.”
A cop at the scene recognized that the officer’s voice “sounded different” and went over to check on her.
An “unresponsive” Bannick is quickly surrounded by police officers, one of whom grabs Narcan, the emergency medication used to treat an opioid overdose, and places it up her nostrils as she lies motionless.
“C’mon, stay with me,” pleads a colleague.
Emergency crews arrived after three doses of Narcan, and she was taken to the hospital for treatment.
In an update on Wednesday, Tavares police said that the officer was home recovering and eager to get back to work.
“I have done this 100 times before the same way. It only takes one time and a minimal amount,” Bannick said. “I’m thankful I wasn’t alone and had immediate help.”
Authorities add that the roadside footage may be tough to watch but is necessary in helping to show the danger of drugs.
“Officer Bannick followed all proper protocols in protecting herself against exposure (wearing gloves and utilizing Personal Protective Equipment), however with high winds and a potent narcotic, exposure still occurred, ultimately causing her to overdose,” the department said.
As for the people involved in the traffic stop, they are facing felony charges.
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. “You can’t win an unwinnable war. DEA knows this and the agents know this,” Irizarry says. “There’s so much dope leaving Colombia. And there’s so much money. We know we’re not making a difference.” (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. “You can’t win an unwinnable war. DEA knows this and the agents know this,” Irizarry says. “There’s so much dope leaving Colombia. And there’s so much money. We know we’re not making a difference.” (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
HOGP
This photo provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration shows U.S. currency confiscated in "Operation White Wash" in 2016. The long-running overseas investigation resulted in more than 100 arrests and the seizure of more than $100 million and more than a ton of cocaine. (DEA via AP)
HOGP
This photo provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration shows U.S. currency confiscated in "Operation White Wash" in 2016. The long-running overseas investigation resulted in more than 100 arrests and the seizure of more than $100 million and more than a ton of cocaine. (DEA via AP)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. After years of portraying Irizarry as a rogue agent who acted alone, U.S. Justice Department investigators have made an abrupt shift, following his confessional roadmap to question as many as two-dozen current and former DEA agents and prosecutors accused of turning a blind eye to his flagrant abuses and sometimes joining in. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. After years of portraying Irizarry as a rogue agent who acted alone, U.S. Justice Department investigators have made an abrupt shift, following his confessional roadmap to question as many as two-dozen current and former DEA agents and prosecutors accused of turning a blind eye to his flagrant abuses and sometimes joining in. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Irizarry says dozens of other federal agents, prosecutors, informants and in some cases cartel smugglers themselves were all in on the three-continent joyride known as “Team America” that chose cities for money laundering pick-ups mostly for party purposes or to coincide with Real Madrid soccer or Rafael Nadal tennis matches. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Irizarry says dozens of other federal agents, prosecutors, informants and in some cases cartel smugglers themselves were all in on the three-continent joyride known as “Team America” that chose cities for money laundering pick-ups mostly for party purposes or to coincide with Real Madrid soccer or Rafael Nadal tennis matches. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, sits during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, sits during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, pauses during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. He was betrayed by one of his closest confidants, a Venezuelan-American informant who confessed to diverting funds from the undercover stings and making cash payments to his longtime handler. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, pauses during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. He was betrayed by one of his closest confidants, a Venezuelan-American informant who confessed to diverting funds from the undercover stings and making cash payments to his longtime handler. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, stands for a portrait during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Irizarry’s downfall was as sudden as it was inevitable — the outgrowth of a lavish lifestyle that raised too many eyebrows, even among colleagues willing to bend the rules themselves. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, stands for a portrait during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Irizarry’s downfall was as sudden as it was inevitable — the outgrowth of a lavish lifestyle that raised too many eyebrows, even among colleagues willing to bend the rules themselves. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Irizarry’s downfall was as sudden as it was inevitable — the outgrowth of a lavish lifestyle that raised too many eyebrows, even among colleagues willing to bend the rules themselves. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
Carlos Giusti
Jose Irizarry, a once-standout DEA agent sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel, speaks during an interview the night before going to a federal detention center, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Irizarry’s downfall was as sudden as it was inevitable — the outgrowth of a lavish lifestyle that raised too many eyebrows, even among colleagues willing to bend the rules themselves. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
Chris O'Meara
FILE - Former DEA agent Jose Irizarry arrives at the United States Courthouse in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021. Federal Judge Charlene Honeywell who sentenced Irizarry said he was “the one who got caught but it is apparent to this court that there are others.” (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Chris O'Meara
FILE - Former DEA agent Jose Irizarry arrives at the United States Courthouse in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021. Federal Judge Charlene Honeywell who sentenced Irizarry said he was “the one who got caught but it is apparent to this court that there are others.” (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex and an ‘unwinnable war’ on drugs
HOGP
CORRECTS TO BROTHER OF ONE OF IRIZARRY'S PARTNER NOT ACTUAL PARTNER This booking photo provided by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in August 2022 shows Michael Zoumberos. Zoumberos is the brother of one of Jose Irizarry’s former partners who partied and traveled around the world with DEA agents. He was jailed in March after refusing to testify to a federal grand jury investigating misconduct in the DEA. "I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m not going to talk about my brother,” Zoumberos told AP. (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office via AP)
HOGP
CORRECTS TO BROTHER OF ONE OF IRIZARRY'S PARTNER NOT ACTUAL PARTNER This booking photo provided by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in August 2022 shows Michael Zoumberos. Zoumberos is the brother of one of Jose Irizarry’s former partners who partied and traveled around the world with DEA agents. He was jailed in March after refusing to testify to a federal grand jury investigating misconduct in the DEA. "I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m not going to talk about my brother,” Zoumberos told AP. (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office via AP)
