'It is concerning': Accidental drug overdoses rise in Sangamon Co.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – A disturbing trend has the Sangamon County coroner concerned.

The number of accidental overdose deaths are on the rise.

"Heroin, Alprazolam, alcohol, flu alprazolam,” coroner Jim Allmon said, reading the list of drugs found in an overdose victim’s body.

Since the start of 2020, Allmon said the number of accidental overdose deaths are up.

"It is getting up there to the area that it is concerning,” he said.

In data provided by Allman, through June 30, 20 confirmed deaths were the result of an overdose, with five pending a toxicology report. Those 20 are more than 19 on 2019 and 11 in 2016. In 2017 and 2018, the county saw 29 deaths in the first six months of the year.

Allmon said he believes the number one reason deaths are rising is because of what is being put in street drugs. In many cases, drugs have fentanyl and car fentanyl.

“It is an elephant tranquilizer that is being put in heroin,” Allmon said. "They think they're getting heroin. I can assure in Sangamon County they are getting much more than that."

Allmon said buyers don’t know what they are getting, and each purchase is a gamble.

"People that are mixing they are not forensic toxicologists, they are not pharmacists, they are not experts," Allmon said. "They are going to put whatever they feel they should or want to put in this substance and they really don't know what they are doing."

Allmon is working with the Illinois State Police, Drug Enforcement Agency, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and Springfield Police Department to turn the trend around.

"Everybody is aware of this problem and has known about this problem,” he said.