Mass overdose at Central Washington University party

October 9, 2010 @ 8:48 am (Updated: 1:37 pm - 3/28/11 )

KIRO Radio Staff

Police say a dozen young people - most of them women - were taken to hospitals after overdosing on an unknown substance that may have been slipped into their drinks at a house party in central Washington.

According to police and a nursing supervisor, all but one had been released by late Saturday afternoon, and that person was in good condition at a hospital in Ellensburg.

The Cle Elum Police Department said the investigation started when officers and Kittitas County sheriff's deputies responded to a report of that one person was at a nearby grocery store who had apparently overdosed and possibly been assaulted.

Acting on information from the victim's friends, police went to a house in Roslyn and found 11 more young people either passed out or semi-conscious.

Police believe something may have been slipped into their drinks, and they expect toxicology tests on blood and urine samples taken from the victims to help determine what that might have been.

"We don't believe this was just a result of heavy drinking," Ferguson said.

At least 11 people were transported and treated at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital while some others were transported to hospitals in Yakima for treatment.

When police began sweeping the house for possible victims, one sheriff's deputy found and arrested a male who was engaging in sexual activity with a semi-conscious female, Ferguson said. That suspect had been released by Saturday morning.

Many of the 50 or so people present were underage students at Central Washington University, and Ferguson said college police, Cle Elum police and sheriff's deputies were continuing the investigation.


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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Comments (19)


  • Add A Comment

  • fishnpol_disaster wrote...
    i wonder.....
    October 9, 2010 8:14 am
    if they were cheesing?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle Tom wrote...
    My guess is the drug is GHB
    October 9, 2010 8:22 am
    Nasty stuff, especially when combined with alcohol.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shadyachmed wrote...
    GHB
    October 9, 2010 9:37 am
    just gurgled that... wow... I'll stick w/ weed thanks.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RnD_Fan wrote...
    Glad no-one was killed or died!
    October 9, 2010 9:42 am
    There is some nasty stuff out there.

    Parents, please educate your kids!

    Scary story!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • doUsmellmytaint wrote...
    somebody is in some deep doo-doo
    October 9, 2010 10:33 am
    and it sounds like I missed a rippin' party!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CR250Rider wrote...
    if they were smoking pot....
    October 9, 2010 2:38 pm
    they would all be asleep, with empty bags of potato chips and ice cream containers every where. no one has ever overdosed on pot.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wonderfullone wrote...
    So, this is the 'greatest generation' I keep hearing about?
    October 9, 2010 3:06 pm
    Yeah, they seem a lot smarter...

    Hope they all recover soon enough to vote for their mush-head heroes, to once again flaunt their superior intellect.

    btw, unless nearly 50 citations and/or arrests are the result of this, lol, we have only our own pathetic ^$$e$ to blame.

    Are you hearing me you so called adults?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • viclava wrote...
    geez
    October 9, 2010 5:10 pm
    I wonder if dude that was arrested had finished with all the passed out chicks or was he kock-blocked before he could finish?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • aerocat wrote...
    Drink...
    October 9, 2010 5:54 pm
    from your own bottle that you keep a close eye on and you greatly reduce your chances of being roofified by some college freak w/GHB.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BMC wrote...
    HB thinkin,......
    October 9, 2010 7:24 pm
    Gotta' be a twisted individual that has to have his women unconcious, us hillbillies kinda like the phillies to buck around a bit, leave a couple of fingernail marks any way. Geez' the kid could 'jus take care of himself or git one of them $29.95 blow up girlfriends, don't need to use drugs or spend money on a date.........thinkin' this might be generation ZERO. BMC
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }