Stafford County deputy accidentally overdoses after being exposed to fentanyl

STAFFORD, Va. - A Stafford County sheriff's deputy who was responding to an overdose call ended up accidentally overdosing himself after he came in contact with fentanyl, according to officials.

The Stafford County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to an overdose call at Goddard School in the 300 block of Highpointe Boulevard in Stafford at about 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

When deputies arrived at the scene, they said 40-year-old David Chambers and 29-year-old Samantha Stoudt were found unconscious in a van. One of them had a syringe in their arm, according to officials.

When Stoudt came to she attempted to drive away, but deputies said the van was blocked by a deputy's cruiser.

Authorities said Deputy A.C. Wolford searched the van and found drugs.

Both suspects were taken into custody and Stoudt was later taken to the hospital for treatment. The sheriff's office said Wolford went to the hospital to follow up with Stoudt and while he was there the medical staff noticed he was unsteady on his feet and slurring his speech.

He was rushed to a treatment area and medical officials said Wolford appeared to have suffered an accidental exposure to the drugs he had collected. Detectives said they believed the drug was fentanyl.

Wolford was treated with Naloxone and was later released from the hospital. He is still recovering from the incident, according to the sheriff's office.

Due to the exposure, the Clandestine Laboratory Operational Group was called in to decontaminate Wolford's patrol cruiser.

Stoudt was treated and released from the hospital and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled paraphernalia, and improper vehicle registration. She was being held without bond.

Chambers was charged with possession of a controlled substance and was also held without bond. Deputies said they had arrested Chambers the evening before in the 800 block of Knollwood Court after receiving a call of a suspicious vehicle.

The sheriff's office said Chambers was found to have a warrant for his arrest in Maryland for failure to appear in court. He was taken into custody and officials said he was later released on $2,500 bond. Deputies said only an hour and a half had passed since his release when he was fond at the scene at Goddard School.