PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria County Circuit Court records indicate a Peoria woman is so far not facing the charge of Drug-Induced Homicide she was booked on, but officials remain concerned nonetheless.
Sharon Lucy, 58 and who has a lengthy arrest history in Peoria County, was booked Tuesday on that charge and a count of Delivery of a Controlled Substance.
A court filing indicates she’s only now facing the delivery charge based on an incident that happened in August.
Police have not released details on the arrest, but Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood tells 25 News after years of declines, fatal drug overdoses are up 20 percent so far this year — with the deaths of 45 people — and most of it is due to Fentanyl.
“Generally speaking, the reference range of three nanograms per liter can be fatal and we’re seeing fentanyl levels in the high 20’s,” said Harwood, to 25 News.
Lucy remains behind bars and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing December 29th.
JOLT Harm Reduction last year referred more than 200 people to treatment programs, with 82 percent of those completing them.
“With each fatality, even when it’s increasing, it just reinforces our commitment to this work,” said Chris Schaffner, Program Director, JOLT Harm Reduction, to 25 News.
“I think if more people were supportive of people who suffered from drug abuse, they would be more likely to contribute to the solution of the problem,” said Harwood.
