A Hepburn Township man who suffered a drug overdose in an alley last week was arraigned on drug charges Tuesday afternoon upon being discharged from a hospital, city police said.
When officers and paramedics arrived on the scene near Third and Memorial avenues late Friday morning, Lance P. Gingery initially was unresponsive, but soon regained consciousness, police said.
"He was swimming on asphalt" when he came to, police said.
Gingery became combative and had to be handcuffed to an ambulance litter, police said. Upon being taken to the hospital, where he was admitted to an intensive care unit, the 23-year-old man "had to be sedated to be calmed down," police said.
At the time of his overdose, Gingery, of 392 Brentwood Drive, had in his possession 23 baggies of heroin and four alprazolam pills, police said,
He was arraigned before District Judge Gary A. Whiteman on charges of possession with intent to deliver heroin and possession of heroin, alprazolam and drug paraphernalia. During the proceedings, Gingery admitted that he was addicted to heroin.
"Your addiction is a health risk to you and addictions are difficult to combat alone," Whiteman told Gingery as he ordered the man to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.
