According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the driver pulled behind a patrol vehicle on I-80’s Castle Rock exit midway between Coalville and Evanston, which the deputy called “suspicious.”
The shift report says there was a clear smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle and a glass pipe with burn marks was in view.
While deputies were arresting the driver and passenger, the passenger ingested fentanyl and overdosed. Lifesaving efforts were conducted and the man was transported to an Evanston hospital for treatment.
A full search of the vehicle, which had a covered license plate, yielded a half pound of fentanyl powder, over five pounds of marijuana, several large shards of meth, and many pills.
The driver was booked into the Summit County Jail on multiple charges. The pair are not Utah residents.
Large drug busts in Summit County aren’t uncommon. Highways that run from east and west, such as I-80, are often used by those trafficking illicit substances.
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved over-the-counter use of Narcan, a nasal spray that treats opioid overdoses.