The Winn Dixie parking lot off Palm Coast Parkway was the scene of a death investigation by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Thursday afternoon after a man was reported to be unconscious or dead in his car there.
Paramedics had responded to reports that John Paul Runnells, 32, of Jupiter, was unconscious in a Nissan Altima parked at the plaza. Paramedics removed Runnells from the vehicle and began life saving procedures, taking him to an ambulance. They were not successful. Runnells was pronounced dead at the scene.
A sheriff’s spokesperson said the death was from a drug overdose. It is the seventh drug overdose death sheriff’s deputies have investigated in Flagler County so far this year.
The scene was taped off with crime scene tape and a criminal investigation followed, with detectives and the Crime Scene Investigations unit at the scene, as is routine in such instances, whether a crime was committed or not. It isn’t clear how long Runnells had been at the plaza, but lividity had set in by the time paramedics transported him into an ambulance, a sheriff’s incident report states.
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ConstantlyAmazed says
Are the sure it was an overdose that killed him or was it “COVID19 VIRUS LIKE SYMPTOMS” ?
Lily says
My condolences to his family. I am so sorry he couldn’t find the strength to fight addiction.
C’mon man says
For every 1 that die nanyang more have come close. Since this happened 3 more people overdosed However were saved by deputies with narcam. Big problem here
Mama Rae says
Tragic. Drug overdose deaths are another pandemic. Addiction sucks.
Mike says
Yes I know directly it was fentanyl
Mike says
PD just wasn’t able to get there in time. I know the family members. Sad to see before it was too late
Jill Sossi says
Thank you. That was my
Little Brother and such a kind soul and big heart. Depression and circumstances cause people who have fought and one to relapse and now we are left with an emptiness that can never be replaced in our family.
CB from PC says
Save them once. When they recover, choice of cold turkey in jail or resident rehab program. Leave program before completion, mandatory 2 years in State Pen.
Narcan is compounding the problem with repeaters. The junkie population keeps growing,
Bad choices lead to bad outcomes.
But that doesn’t mean the rest of us have to provide and funds and people due to it.
John says
Addiction is horrible! My cousin worked at a crime and trauma scene cleaning company that would clean up after people that passed away from drugs. Just sad. Company was Crime Scene Clean.
Conrad says
It is,I think even sadder that the real problem is staring you in the face.. When people hear fentanyl they immediately think heroin. If only that were the case,unfortunately the pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies in general are getting their pills with fentanyl already in them. The real problem is these doctors who ruin peoples lives. I was a part of a generation who trusted the word of their doctor over all others. If you asked someone what you should do… The usual answer would be “trust your doctor” well my doctor ruined my life. Thank God he is now in federal prison. Not that it even matters,he will eventually be out. My stomach being destroyed from the meds he gave me,won’t ever recover. I also had becomes dependant on the sleeping pills we was giving me a long with muscle relaxers any doctor with a brain knew not to prescribe together. I swear looking back,sometimes I think he was trying to kill me.
Mike says
Sad situation for sure. Sounds like a job for dead body cleanup!