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Mostly Cloudy Long Beach police arrest man for role in near-fatal overdose
Suspect allegedly delivered heroin injection before officer saved victim’s life
Long Beach police arrested a man on Monday for his alleged role in a near-fatal overdose in the city.
Police Commissioner Mike Tangney said police arrested 30-year-old James Walsh and charged him with criminal injection of a narcotic drug, a felony.
The overdose occurred on July 14, when police responded to Shore Road following a report of an unresponsive person who was found “outside in the rain.”
According to the LBPD, police officer Steven Wildes recognized that the victim had suffered a heroin overdose and immediately administered Narcan — a drug that can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose — that successfully revived the person. The victim’s name was not released.
“Long Beach detectives conducted an investigation and determined that this person had been injected with heroin by another,” Tangney said in a statement. “After further investigation, detectives were able to identify the person who did the injecting as James Walsh, no known address.”
On Oct. 27, off-duty Long Beach police officer Michael Popper, of the LBPD’s Narcotics Task Force, spotted Walsh on East Park Avenue and arrested him without incident.
While in custody, police said that it was determined that Walsh was also wanted by the Nassau County Police Department and the New York City Police Department on unrelated charges. Walsh was arraigned in Long Beach City Court and was remanded by Judge Frank Dikranis to the custody of the Nassau County Sherriff’s Department.
“These circumstances outline the synergistic approach our department takes in combating heroin,” Tangney said in a statement. “The first responder, officer Wildes, saved this person’s life with Narcan. The detectives then ascertained the events leading up to the overdose and while off duty, narcotics officer Popper made the arrest. I’m very proud of the efforts put forth in this case.”
“Our Police Department continues on the front lines in the fight against heroin that is plaguing our entire region,” added City Council President Scott Mandel. “Being a first responder means always being at the ready, and we sincerely thank our officers for being there for our residents at any given moment.”
