Over the weekend, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department Patrol Division arrested Brandy Petty and Chad Bimitross both of Long Beach, California after they were found to be passed out in the parking lot of a local business. Upon encountering the couple, Deputies suspected that they were under the influence of drugs. A subsequent search of their vehicle revealed a firearm and an assortment of controlled substances including, methamphetamine, heroin, prescription pills, marijuana, and other unidentified substances.
After Petty was placed into a Marion County Patrol Car, it was determined that she had busted up several bags of white powder that were previously hidden on her person. Petty and Bimitross were taken to the Marion County Justice Center for processing. During the booking process, the arresting deputy as well as two corrections officers were overcome by a suspected exposure to fentanyl and had to be rushed by other officers and deputies to Parkridge West Emergency Room for treatment.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, the 12th Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force all responded to the Justice Center to conduct an investigation as well as to process and package the highly potent substance.
Based on the initial investigation it is believed that the substance that caused the law enforcement personnel to become sick is powder fentanyl, however the substance was packaged and will be submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Forensic Lab for an official analysis.
Additional agencies that assisted in saving the lives of the law enforcement personnel and assisted during the hazardous clean up were the Kimball Police Department, the Jasper Police Department, the Jasper Fire Department, and Puckett EMS. All law enforcement personnel have been released from the hospital and are expected to make a full recovery. Petty and Bimitross remain in the Marion County Justice Center and are scheduled to appear before Marion County General Sessions Judge Mark Raines for and initial appearance and a bond hearing on February 22, 2021.
Republished courtesy of Marion County Sheriff's Department. Photo credit: MCSD