Two Richland County deputies hospitalized after drug exposure during traffic stop

Two deputies were hospitalized Saturday night, including one who was knocked unconscious, after being exposed to a drug while on duty, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.

The incident happened during a traffic stop, the sheriff’s department said in a news release. Information about where the traffic stop occurred and what happened to any occupants in the vehicle that was stopped was not available.

Cpl. Deon Hardy and his partner, Reserve Deputy Joshua Ross, were conducting a traffic stop just after 10 p.m. when they were exposed to a substance that rendered Hardy unconscious, according to the release.

The department didn’t release the type of substance they were exposed to. But Ross immediately offered first aid and administered Narcan, the sheriff’s department said. This revived Hardy, according to the release.

Narcan, which is the name of a popular brand of the drug Naloxone, can be administered as a nasal spray or as an injection for patients suffering from an opioid overdose, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said.

Ross also received Narcan and both deputies were taken to a local hospital, the sheriff’s department said. Further information on their conditions was not available, but the department said both are recovering.

No other injuries were reported.

“This is the reality of what our deputies encounter everyday,” Sheriff Leon Lott said in the release. “If Reserve Deputy Ross did not have Narcan to quickly give Cpl. Hardy, he could have suffered serious health risks. Please keep them both in your prayers.”

This story was originally published March 12, 2023 at 10:14 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription