Three overdose at MC jail, transferred to hospital
Men were isolated due to limited space
Daniel Tanner
MEDINA – Three individuals were transported from the Medina County Jail to Medina Hospital Feb. 3 by Medina Life Support Team as a result of having ingested an unknown substance and collapsing.
The three are Mark Gempel, 48, of Kent; Justin Pearce, 27, of Northfield; and Daniel Tanner, 31, of Lodi.
According to Capt. Ken Baca of the Medina County Sheriff’s Office, at 3:45 p.m. on that day, the booking intake area was crowded with about 20 incoming inmates from the county courts, other correctional facilities and arrests off the streets.
Because of the limited space, four individuals had to be placed in an isolated cell.
“They were brought in off the street and were all patted down and searched,” Baca said. “Even though we have a body scanner in the booking area, these four were not yet processed in.”
Unknown to deputies, one individual had a container with a controlled substance in a body cavity.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the person expelled the container and reportedly made a comment to the others that he had some high-potent substance to share before the body scanner revealed its presence.
“Two accepted the offer and the other person did not,” Baca said.
He said the fourth individual, who had refused the “offer,” provided much information and cooperated fully with deputies.
During one of the watch times, a corrections officer noticed that two subjects were on the floor, and called emergency medical response.
“Two were unresponsive and the third was headed that way,” the captain said. “Because their symptoms were consistent with heroin use, Narcan was administered,” he said.
After further treatment, Gempel and Pearce were returned to the jail that evening.
Tanner was kept at the hospital for an unrelated health issue, and was released Feb. 6.
Baca said the sheriff’s office is waiting for laboratory results as to the positive identification of the substance. The investigation is ongoing.
The three are Mark Gempel, 48, of Kent; Justin Pearce, 27, of Northfield; and Daniel Tanner, 31, of Lodi.
According to Capt. Ken Baca of the Medina County Sheriff’s Office, at 3:45 p.m. on that day, the booking intake area was crowded with about 20 incoming inmates from the county courts, other correctional facilities and arrests off the streets.
Because of the limited space, four individuals had to be placed in an isolated cell.
“They were brought in off the street and were all patted down and searched,” Baca said. “Even though we have a body scanner in the booking area, these four were not yet processed in.”
Unknown to deputies, one individual had a container with a controlled substance in a body cavity.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the person expelled the container and reportedly made a comment to the others that he had some high-potent substance to share before the body scanner revealed its presence.
“Two accepted the offer and the other person did not,” Baca said.
He said the fourth individual, who had refused the “offer,” provided much information and cooperated fully with deputies.
During one of the watch times, a corrections officer noticed that two subjects were on the floor, and called emergency medical response.
“Two were unresponsive and the third was headed that way,” the captain said. “Because their symptoms were consistent with heroin use, Narcan was administered,” he said.
After further treatment, Gempel and Pearce were returned to the jail that evening.
Tanner was kept at the hospital for an unrelated health issue, and was released Feb. 6.
Baca said the sheriff’s office is waiting for laboratory results as to the positive identification of the substance. The investigation is ongoing.