Officer passes out in patrol car after handling fentanyl during traffic stop, police say

A police officer had to call for backup Sunday after becoming dizzy and lightheaded while transporting a suspect after touching a substance believed to be fentanyl.

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An unidentified Fort Dodge officer pulled over Kayla Potter, 28, around 5 p.m. and was exposed to the drug while conducting the traffic stop, Capt. Ryan Gruenberg, police spokesman, said in a release.

Potter was arrested and charged with providing false identification and driving on a suspended license, investigators said.

While taking Potter to the law enforcement center, the officer started to feel strange and called for medics, Gruenberg said. Emergency responders arrived to find the officer lethargic and unresponsive in his patrol vehicle, Gruenberg said.

The officer was taken to a hospital and given multiple doses of Narcan. The officer then came to. He was kept overnight for observation before being released the following day, Gruenberg said. The officer is doing well and recovering at home, Gruenberg said.

Investigators believe the substance he was exposed to is a form of fentanyl and are awaiting tests to determine what it is, Gruenberg said.

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