A 26-year-old Auburn man was arrested last week after Kent Police officers found him passed out behind the wheel of a parked car with a handgun and suspected fentanyl inside the vehicle.
According to the Kent Police Department, Field Training Officer Hong and Patrol Officer Cienega were conducting extra patrols around West Meeker Street at about 7:30 a.m. when they noticed a black 1998 BMW parked unusually in a Safeway lot. Police said the driver was slumped forward over the steering wheel, a position officers said can indicate a possible overdose or medical emergency.
When officers approached, they found the man unconscious with the keys in the ignition and an open beer in the center console. A handgun was visible on the passenger seat.
Before waking the driver, officers took steps to prevent the vehicle from moving, placing a stop device under a front tire and positioning a patrol car behind the BMW. Using a public address system, they woke the man, who initially refused to exit the vehicle and at one point reached toward the gun before complying with repeated commands.
Officers also observed a clear baggie of suspected fentanyl inside the car. The man was taken into custody without further incident and later determined to be medically stable.
Police said the suspect was booked into jail and the vehicle was impounded. A judge later authorized a search warrant, and officers recovered the suspected drugs along with a loaded Taurus .22 caliber pistol. Authorities said the firearm belonged to the suspect, who was later ordered by the court to relinquish his concealed pistol license due to the felony arrest.
Police noted this was not the only case in the past week involving a driver found passed out behind the wheel.
“If you need help with addiction, see below. Statistically you are most likely to save your own life,” police said in a statement.
Kent Police also offered the following resources:
- CALL 988: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline
- DEA Fentanyl Awareness: https://www.dea.gov/fentanylawareness
- One Pill Can Kill: https://www.dea.gov/onepill
- Info for Teens about fentanyl: https://www.dea.gov/onepill/teens
Some Local Treatment Options:
