BELLE — A Maries County man died of a suspected opioid overdose Sept. 12, making him the most recent death in a string of overdoses in the past month.

Kevin Ahart, 29, was found at a residence on Maries County Road 436 during the morning hours of Oct. 12. According to Maries County Sheriff’s Department’s Lt. Scott John, a call was picked up by Troop I in Rolla around 9:20 a.m. and was transmitted to the Maries County Sheriff’s Department around 9:24 a.m., requesting emergency personnel for a suspected drug overdose.

“They had units in route, St. James Fire and Ambulance,” John said. “Our deputy had to respond from Vienna and was on scene at 9:45 a.m.; medical personnel were already on scene.”

John said he was not sure what time the medical team arrived, as they were dispatched from Phelps county.

“Cause of death is suspected to be an opioid overdose, but we won’t be able to say that conclusively until we have medical confirmation from the medical examiner through a toxicology report, which will take about a week and a half,” John said.

This was the second call to the same residence to assist Ahart for a drug overdose. The previous call came through on Oct. 3.

“Kevin overdosed the week before and refused transport after they brought him back with Narcan,” Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman confirmed. “A lot of problems we are having with the overdose cases are people calling for ODs, and we want them to do that, but any evidence we find when we respond to the scene we can’t use in a criminal prosecution.”

Heitman said people aren’t being held accountable for what emergency personnel find at their residence during an overdose call, and it causes repeated overdoses and ultimately death for other people as well.

“I think there needs to be some revision to the law to force people to seek medical treatment or some type of rehab,” Heitman said. “We are getting there, first responders are reviving them, and they are refusing to be transported anywhere. Then they are left on the scene to die a week later of another overdose.”

Ahart is the second person in Maries County to die from drug-related use in the past month and on the list of a string of overdoses in the same time frame.

“We are starting to see this more and more,” John said.

On Sept. 12, emergency services were called to a residence on Highway 28 W for a 13-year-old juvenile who attempted suicide with opioids and survived. The individual received treatment and was returned to their family.

On Sept. 26, emergency personnel were dispatched to Maries County Road 540 for a drug overdose. Ashley Marler was declared deceased. While drugs were not the cause of death, they were a contributing factor, according to the sheriff’s report. No foul play is suspected.

On Oct. 11, a 20-year-old Belle resident was revived with Narcan and refused to be transported by medical personnel to the hospital.

“There is definitely an influx of opioids in the county and it seems to be the most prevalent drug right now causing the most problems. It is also the most deadly drug,” Heitman said. “My heart goes out to families that have family members with drug addiction,” Heitman said. “I know how tough that can be.”

The Maries County Sheriff’s Department recently received a $40,000 grant to be used exclusively to fight opioids.

“We will begin extra enforcement this week paid for by grant funds and will be doing a lot of intel gathering to apprehend these dealers,” Heitman said.

The sheriff is following up on leads related to the Ahart’s death and asks that anyone with information contact his office at 573-422-3381.