Florida cop nearly dies from ‘fentanyl exposure’ after Officer pulled over drug-using driver

A Florida police officer nearly died as she was left choking and unable to breath after being ‘exposed to fentanyl’ during a traffic stop on Tuesday.

Officer Courtney Bannick had pulled over a car in the early hours of the morning and discovered a passenger with narcotics rolled up in a dollar bill.

After Bannick had brought the passenger to jail, her colleagues began to hear her struggling to breath over their radios, and rushed to help her. It is unclear exactly when or how she was exposed to the drug during the stop.

Officers found her drifting in and out of consciousness and nearly lifeless, and administered Narcan on the scene to save her, possibly saving her life. Cops said the individuals who had the narcotics will likely be prosecuted with felony charges after their investigation concludes.

Officer Courtney Bannick nearly died after being exposed to fentanyl during a traffic stop in Florida on Tuesday

Bannick lies on the ground as she struggles to breath after being exposed to Fentanyl 

Terrifying footage showed Bannick on the side of a dark road as officers led her wide-eyed and breathless from her car to the sidewalk.

There she fell down on her back as officers tried to soothe her and administered Narcan up her nose, causing her to roll over and vomit on the street.

Later as they waited for an ambulance to arrive, Bannick could be seen leaning on the legs of another officer and breathing heavily, when suddenly her face went blank and she stopped moving.

Officers began shouting at her to breathe as they lightly slapped her face to jar her awake, and were forced to administer more doses of Narcan before she finally sprung back to life.

A police officer guides a struggling Bannick from her car to the sidewalk where they treated her

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Officers administer a dose of Narcan up Bannick’s nose as she lies on the ground

Officers strip Bannick’s uniform vest off of her torso to help her breath easier

Bannick was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover.

‘She was completely lifeless. She looks deceased in these videos,’ Tavares Police Detective Courtney Sullivan told Fox 35, ‘so she’s very thankful today.’

The department said she had been wearing gloves and followed all protocols properly when handling the narcotics, but noted how easy it still is for accidents to happen.

‘I have done this one-hundred times before the same way. It only takes one time and a minimal amount,’ Bannick after the incident. ‘I’m thankful I wasn’t alone and had immediate help.’

The department said the names of the individuals who were in possession of the narcotics will not be released until they are charged. 

Officers break open Narcan doses which they then administer to Bannick through her nose

Bannick is held up by officers as she struggles to breath on the side of the road after the fentanyl exposure

Fentanyl has been increasingly used to cut heavy drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

The drug binds to receptors in the brain, causing a feeling of numbness, euphoria and sedation. 

Over time it diminishes the receptors sensitivity, eventually leading to the opioids being the only way a person can reach those feelings. This leads to addiction.

When a person overdoses their breathing may stop, depriving the brain and other parts of the body oxygen. As a result, a person will suffer severe brain injury.

This can often be deadly. Even survivors will often have permanent brain damage.

Naxolone, sold under the brand name Narcan, is the most effective tool doctors and first responders have against an overdose.

The fast-acting nasal spray quickly clears up the opioid receptors on a person’s brain and undoes the effects of the drug.

It can only be used in the time immediately after an overdose.