Police: Man ODs in parking lot, arrested after heroin found

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Hubbard man was booked into the Mahoning County jail Wednesday evening after being treated for a heroin overdose.

Police were called about 7:10 p.m. to a 3518 South Ave. store where they found a car blocking the front doors with the motor running. Inside, the driver, Jonathan Smith, 30, was passed out over the wheel and barely breathing, reports said.

When officers Mark Sember and Travis Sheely opened the door, reports said there was a needle in Smith’s hand and a belt was tied around his arm like a makeshift torniquet. Also next to him was a plastic bag that had been torn open, reports said, and a burnt spoon that had suspected heroin residue on it.

Paramedics arrived to treat him and Smith then woke up. When he was taken out of his car, police found a dose of suspected heroin on the seat where he was sitting, reports said.

Smith was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to be examined before he was booked into the jail on charges of driving under suspension, possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is expected to be arraigned in municipal court today.

According to Vindicator files, Smith’s arrest is the 37th this year by city police for heroin. According to police department statistics, at this same time last year, 11 people were arrested for heroin.