Traffic Stop Turns Dangerous Near Greenwood Truck Stop

GREENWOOD, LA

One of the first things you're taught as a police officer is, "There's no such thing as a "routine" traffic stop."

What started as a simple traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 79 and Highway 80 turned into a serious drug exposure event for 3 Greenwood Police officers. Around Exit 3, near one of the truck stops just off I-20, officers pulled over a vehicle without license plates. As they made contact with the occupants, the situation escalated quickly.

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Several passengers had misdemeanor warrants. But it didn’t stop there. Some began pulling drug paraphernalia, including a packet of fentanyl, from their pockets and tossing it to the ground. Officers immediately took the individuals into custody.

That’s when the trouble started.

According to Chief Shane Gibson, three officers were exposed to fentanyl, not through inhalation, but through their skin. One officer collapsed in his patrol car just minutes after returning to the station. His eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness before Narcan and emergency crews arrived. The other two officers experienced dizziness, headaches, and nausea.

All three were treated and released, though one spent time on an IV Narcan drip at the ER.

The officers weren’t initially wearing gloves. That’s likely to change. The department brought in a hazmat team to decontaminate the vehicles and holding areas. New safety measures are under review after the close call.

This is a wake-up call,” Chief Gibson said. “You hear about the dangers of fentanyl in training or read about it online, but nothing prepares you to see your own officers drop from exposure like that.

Fentanyl is still less common in northwest Louisiana than meth or marijuana, but the danger is real. Possession of fentanyl in Louisiana carries a mandatory sentence of five to 40 years.

I’ve been in law enforcement a long time,” Gibson said. “This was the first time I felt like I was racing the clock to save my guys. It shook all of us.

Gibson leads a department of just ten full-time officers, including himself. Despite their size, their resolve is firm.

We’ll be ready next time,” he said. “We’re adjusting policies, and we’re going to make sure our team is better protected going forward.

Four suspects were taken into custody and booked into the Caddo Correctional Center on charges of possession of Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Two suspects were also booked on outstanding warrants.

Briauna Vance, Eric Mainous, Jackson Strickland and Bobby Davis