After a Years-long Spike, Humboldt’s Overdose Deaths Seeing Sharp Drop Following a nationwide trend, overdose deaths appear to have declined sharply in Humboldt County in the first months of 2024 after increasing sharply in recent years since fentanyl became pervasive. Surveys compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a 10.6-percent decline […]
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EPD Identifies Man Found in Mall Fire, Deems Death Accidental
The Eureka Police Department has identified the man whose remains were found burned in a small fire near the Bayshore Mall in October and determined his death was likely accidental. EPD used a witness account and DNA results to identify the man as Richard George Shannon, 27. According to the department, its investigation revealed Shannon […]
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New Law Adds Prison Sentencing Enhancements for Fentanyl Trafficking
People convicted of distributing fentanyl will face stiffer criminal penalties in the coming year under a new law shaped by rising overdose deaths. The law increases the penalty for selling or distributing more than 1 kilogram of fentanyl by an automatic addition of three years to the original sentence. The penalties continue to increase with […]
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EPD Identifies 31 Year Old Shot by Officers as Cutten Man
The Eureka Police Department has identified the man killed by officers in a shooting Sunday as Matthew Robert Williams, 31, of Cutten. EPD issued a press release this afternoon, offering a bit more detail on the shooting that followed a traffic stop at about 9:35 a.m. Sunday, leaving Williams dead and two officers on administrative […]
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Drug Task Force Announces Largest ‘One-time Seizure of Narcotics’
The Humboldt County Drug Task Force announced the largest one-time seizure of narcotics in its history yesterday after serving six search warrants at locations stretching from McKinleyville to Fortuna, resulting in one arrest. The yield — the culmination of a nearly one year investigation — included 30 pounds of methamphetamine, 5.5 pounds of cocaine, 3 […]
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Two Suspected Opioid Overdoses in HumCo Jail; 20 Grams of Suspected Heroin Found in Cell
Two Humboldt County jail inmates were saved by correctional officers after suspected opioid overdoses, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release today. On Monday night, correctional officers administered Naloxone, a nasal spray commonly used to counter decreased breathing caused by an opioid overdose, to two female inmates housed in the same cell […]
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APD Investigating Rash of Possible Overdose Deaths
The Arcata Police Department is investigating the city’s fourth possible overdose death since Wednesday. APD issued a press release at noon today with information about the deaths, saying it was intended “to inform community members of recent deaths in Arcata that could be related to the ingestion of dangerous drugs to include fentanyl.” At 4 […]
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Drug Task Force Investigation Leads to Record Fentanyl Bust
A months-long investigation led to the seizure of 15,000 “30” fentanyl pills this week, the largest bust of the powerful opioid in Humboldt County’s history, according to a news release from the Humboldt County Drug Task Force. Three men were arrested Tuesday after drug task force agents, with the assistance of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s […]
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Two Arrested for Fentanyl Sales in Eureka
The Humboldt County Drug Task Force arrested two Eureka residents Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into fentanyl sales, according to a news release. According to the release, agents contacted Amy Spindler, 45, who had been under investigation since early in the month, at a gas station on the 2800 block of Broadway and […]
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Deputy Saves Man Overdosing on Fentanyl
A Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office deputy saved a man who was overdosing on fentanyl early this morning after finding him unconscious on Broadway and administering two doses of Narcan. According to a HCSO release, the deputy observed the man around 1:20 a.m. in the south Eureka area. In addition to giving the Narcan, the deputy […]
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Hoopa Man Arrested for Alleged Fentanyl Sale Tied to Woman’s Fatal Overdose
Yesterday, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office arrested 30-year-old Hoopa resident James Charles Williamson II on suspicion of manslaughter, possession of fentanyl for sale and transportation of fentanyl for sale after the Humboldt County Drug Task Force launched an investigation into the fatal overdose of a Weitchpec woman in November. According to the press release, on […]
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Humboldt Fentanyl Deaths Soar to 33
The Humboldt County Drug Task Force reports today that the county has seen 33 fentanyl-related overdose deaths to date this year, more than double the number in all of 2020, which stood at 11. In a news release, which emphasizes that individuals who sell the powerful opioid can be charged with murder, the drug task […]