NEEDHAM, Mass. — A man and woman are facing drug charges after three police officers were treated and released for possible exposure to fentanyl, according to Needham police.
One person was taken to the hospital after the incident at the Residence Inn Marriott in Needham early Friday morning.
Needham Police Chief John Schlittler said officers found a "suspicious motor vehicle" in the parking lot and approached the people inside. Police say the pair found in the car had fentanyl in a container, which they were exposed to in some way "outside the car."
The officers soon began complaining of headaches and were immediately given medical treatment. The officers were treated and released from the hospital.
Police say 28-year-old Stephanie Solimine of Westwood and 31-year-old Brandon Randall of Norwood were arrested and charged with possession of fentanyl. They were arrainged in Dedham District Court on Friday.
“We know they were exposed because it was in a container, and I think at some point that container was opened and that where the exposure happened,” Chief Schlittler said. “With a substance like this that is so dangerous and the effect that it can have on our officers we take greatest level of precaution. We call the HAZMAT team out to render the substance safe or contain it best we can.”
The fire department was called to the scene around 1:30 a.m. Friday and the investigation was focused on a car in the parking lot.
"The higher concentrations, the more lethal it will be, so we tend to err on the side of caution and consider it all highly lethal," said Needham Fire Chief Dennis Condon.
"If we inhale it, that's when we get into the biggest trouble because it's going into your blood stream. If you just get it on your skin, quite often, washing it off will do the trick."
The three Needham Police officers are expected to be ok and back on the streets soon.
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