Five fatally overdose on fentanyl in same area, Sacramento County deputies say

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is raising the alarm about the dangers of fentanyl after five people died this week by ingesting drugs from a single batch.

Eight total people overdosed on the drug upon consuming cocaine “possibly mixed with fentanyl,” the Sheriff’s Office said Friday. Five died within a two-mile radius in eastern Sacramento County, deputies said.

A victim on Friday died from an overdose at Vince’s Motel, 9515 Folsom Blvd., said Sgt. Amar Gandhi, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.

Fentanyl-related deaths climbed again in 2023

There have been 888 fentanyl deaths in the past five years, according to a dashboard tallying fatalities in Sacramento County.. That number will continue to rise, Sacramento County Coroner Rosa Vega said Friday, noting she has more than 300 cases that haven’t been closed.

The number of fatal overdoses by fentanyl surged again when compared to 2022. In that year, 228 people died after ingesting fentanyl, according to The Bee’s previous reporting. There are 305 confirmed deaths for 2023.

In comparison, 2018 saw 17 deaths from fentanyl in Sacramento County.

How to help

Signs of an opioid overdose include blue lips or nails; choking or snoring sounds; slow or no breathing; difficulty staying awake; inability to be awakened; and dizziness and confusion, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.

“More people are dying from fentanyl-related deaths than firearm-related homicides in Sacramento County,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

Drug dealers reach children through social media, prosecutors said.

The medication Naloxone can reverse an overdose.