Staff Report
A toxic blend of heroin, fentanyl and fentanyl analogs called “gray death” was discovered during a traffic stop by Eunice City Marshal Deputy Marcus Bergeron on Wednesday, according to City Marshal Terry Darbonne.
The stop was made about 2 p.m. Wednesday for a seat belt violation on East Laurel Avenue.
A news release said the passenger, identified as Alex Junior Simien, 41, of the 300 block of Wesdale Lane, Crowley, fled from the stop near the Eunice Inn.
Darbonne said Semien was caught a few blocks away and taken back to the site of the stop.
“Upon arrival to vehicle, the suspect stated that he needed an ambulance because he was under the influence of narcotics, specifically ‘gray death,’” Darbonne stated.
Simien said there was a gray and red backpack in the vehicle with numerous kinds of narcotics inside, Darbonne said.
A search of the pack found 5 ounces of methamphetamine and pills that included crystal methamphetamine, oxycodone and Xanax, he stated.
Also found was the “gray death” drug along with baggies and scale “that were going to be used to package the narcotics to be sold on the streets,” he stated.
Darbonne said State Police advised them to not open the bag containing the drug believed to be “gray death.”
“That is how potent this stuff really is,” he said. Thursday.
Bergeron said he understood the Semien had to be administered five doses of Narcan at the hospital.
The news release did not present information about the driver of the vehicle. Darbonne did not return a phone call, but someone in his office identified the driver as Haley Porche and she was cited for no insurance and seat belt violation. A Eunice Police Department Police arrest report stated she is homeless and was arrested for a probation hold.
Semien was charged with resisting an officer, possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drug, two counts of possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule IV drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of drug-free zone.
Darbonne said Eunice Police and a probation office officer assisted.
Earlier in the week, The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office said its deputies found the drug on suspects traveling across St. Mary Parish from the Lake Charles area.
“It is reported to have a potency 10,000 times greater than morphine,” a news release from the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office stated.
The unidentified super drug began to surface in the south in Alabama and Georgia. A minuscule amount of this drug, which has the appearance of small chunks of concrete, can kill, the Sheriff’s Office stated.