AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As new details emerge about murder charges related to two fentanyl deaths from last year, Austin-Travis County EMS said joint efforts by city and state departments, as well as nonprofit organizations, have been working to curb the deadly drug's presence in the city.
"It's so nuanced and complicated that it's really taken a team effort," said ATCEMS Assistant Chief Stephen White.
White said EMS and Austin Public Health have worked very closely to address growing fentanyl overdoses. This includes, but is not limited to, putting Narcan kits in every ambulance so medics can hand them out to community members when the situation presents itself.
"[They] distribute them when they identify someone on the scene of a call for help who could use those kits, they now have them available to distribute," he said.
About 6,000 have been passed out so far, White said.
According to data from the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office, overdose deaths saw exponential spikes since 2019, but the rate of increase finally started to slow last year.
"We have hope for the first time," White said. "The fentanyl death rate was starting to plateau a little bit."
A 35-year-old man is facing a murder charge after allegedly giving a 59-year-old man fentanyl that led to his death on Sept. 6, 2023, according to an affidavit.
The Austin Police Department identified the man it believes to be responsible as Christopher Michael McDermott, and the victim was identified as Troy Cernosek.
At the beginning of this month, APD was able to locate and detain McDermott without incident, per court records. Officers spoke with McDermott and asked why he met with Cernosek at the fast food chain.
“I saw him that day, and he asked me if I had fentanyl. And I had a little bit and he had $5. So I gave him some for $5, I gave him just a little bit,” McDermott said to police, according to the affidavit. According to online jail records, McDermott was in custody as of Dec. 16.
In the other case, records showed 64-year-old Clifford John Grove was charged related to the death of 31-year-old Oliver William Jackson. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, phone and chat records were used to identify Grove as a suspect.
The murder charge against Grove was filed March 13. As of Dec. 6, there was still an active warrant out for Grove’s arrest.
Julianna Russ and Anthony Torres contributed to this report.
