OFFICE OF THE CORONER Annual Statistical Report. Mark J. Ward, Coroner th Street, Ste 325 Greeley, CO Website:

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1 OFFICE OF THE CORONER 2014 Annual Statistical Report Mark J. Ward, Coroner th Street, Ste 325 Greeley, CO Website: Pub: March

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Forward Pg 3-7 Community Involvement Pg 8 General data Pg 9-16 Autopsy data Pg Traffic death data Pg Homicide death data Pg Suicide death data Pg

3 Forward The Weld County Coroner s Office serves the community by investigating sudden and unexpected deaths. The coroner operates in the areas of law and medicine. By statute, the coroner is a law enforcement officer whose authority is limited - this is the role that the public usually sees the investigation of homicide and deaths related to criminal activity tend to attract the most attention. However, there are other important areas including impact on survivorship benefits, tort actions, and hazards to the public. In Weld County, the Coroner is appointed, and is assisted through contract Medical Examiners who conduct autopsies. The coroner s office is staffed by the Coroner, a Chief Deputy Coroner, four full-time investigators, and an administrative specialist. 3

4 Forward Weld County is the third most expansive county in Colorado with an area of about 4,000 square miles, and it is the ninth most populous county with a population of about 252,000. Weld County has an area greater than that of Rhode Island, Delaware, and the District of Columbia combined. Weld County s population has grown by 40% since There are 26 incorporated towns in Weld County. The county seat and principle city, Greeley, is located in the west-central part of the county and accounts for nearly 40% of the county population. North Colorado Medical Center, Greeley, is the only hospital in Weld County. 4

5 Forward There were 1,483 total Weld County deaths in 2014 and approximately 92% fell under coroner jurisdiction that year. Forensic autopsies are carried out at McKee Medical Center in Loveland, Colorado about 20 miles west of Greeley. On average, forensic autopsy is performed in about 30% of all coroner investigated deaths most are clarified through investigation only. 5

6 Forward The office is manned from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday. A coroner investigator is on-call at all times. Investigators respond quickly but non-emergently to a call. The average response time of an investigator is 30-minutes (depending on departure and arrival points, the weather, and the time of day). Investigators drive about 50,000 miles per year (combined use of three vehicles). 6

7 Forward The normal capacity of the Weld County morgue is 20-bodies and the coroner s office receives about 2-bodies per week. In all, about 335 bodies pass through the Weld morgue each year (that is about 20% of all cases which fall under coroner jurisdiction). The largest number of deaths from a single event in recent years has been in traffic crashes with up to 7 deaths in a single event. 7

8 INVITED LECTURES / COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION The Weld Coroner s Office conducts lectures and participates in safety efforts of police departments, college administrators, and others. These outreach efforts cover a variety of subjects throughout the year. An example of these is provided below. Colorado Coroner s Association Annual Meeting AIMS Community College Booze or Bust Alcohol awareness Weld Victim Advocates Role of the Coroner UNC Criminal Justice Guest Lectures Ethics Role of the Coroner 8

9 GENERAL DATA 9

10 CORONER INVESTIGATED CASES Inv. and Autopsy Investigated Hospice and Nursing Homes 10

11 CORONER OFFICE CASE LOAD Total Coroner Workload

12 INVESTIGATED DEATHS

13 MANNER OF DEATH OTHER THAN NATURAL DISEASE Traffic Suicide Other Accidents Homicide Undetermined

14 WELD COUNTY ACCIDENTAL DEATHS BY TYPE Drug Use / Abuse 30 (7 Heroin) Falls 25 (Mostly elders fall from standing) Asphyxia Compression and position accidents 8 (one infant due to unsafe sleeping) Aircraft crash 5 (All in single event) Alcohol Use / Abuse 3 Drowning 3 (2 adults, 1 child age 4) Exposure to Elements 1 Fire 1 Recreation ATV 1 Carbon Monoxide 1 Cut by machine 1 Explosion 1 14

15 COMMON DRUGS FOUND IN DRUG DEATHS SLIDE 1 OF 2 Heroin Heroin is derived from the morphine alkaloid found in opium and is roughly 2-3 times more potent. A highly addictive drug, heroin is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and as such has no acceptable medical use in the United States. Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste. Most illicit heroin is sold as a white or brownish powder and is usually "cut" with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. It can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons. Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death. Another form of heroin known as "black tar" may be sticky, like roofing tar, or hard, like coal. Its color may vary from dark brown to black. Hydrocodone Hydrocodone, a semi-synthetic medication derived from a natural part of the opium plant, is the most frequently prescribed opiate medication, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This medication is only prescribed in combination with other medications, most commonly acetaminophen, to treat moderate to severe pain. Hydrocodone is also combined with ibuprofen or aspirin for pain relief, or guaifenesin or chlorpheniramine to treat coughs. Oxycodone Oxycodone, another semi-synthetic medication, is prescribed as a pain reliever for moderate to severe pain. Some prescriptions include only oxycodone while others are combination medications with oxycodone combined with either acetaminophen or aspirin. Oxycodone, according to the DEA, is a common source of illegal drug use resulting in an epidemic of addiction and fatal overdoses in some areas of the United States. 15

16 COMMON DRUGS FOUND IN DRUG DEATHS SLIDE 2 OF 2 Fentanyl Fentanyl, another synthetic drug, is an opiate prescription medication that is more than 80 times more potent than morphine, according to the DEA. Fentanyl is commonly prescribed as a transdermal (skin) patch for slow delivery of the medication to treat severe chronic pain. Fentanyl, like morphine, is highly addictive. Cocaine Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug. The powdered hydrochloride salt form of cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and then injected. Crack is the street name given to the form of cocaine that has been processed to make a rock crystal, which, when heated, produces vapors that are smoked. The term crack refers to the crackling sound produced by the rock as it is heated. Morphine Morphine, a naturally occurring substance in the opium plant, is the drug that all other opiate drugs are compared to for effectiveness. While it is a highly effective pain reliever, it is also highly addictive, according to HealthFaqs.org. Methadone Methadone is a synthetic substance that, although different in chemical structure from morphine, produces the same effects in the body including pain relief and feelings of euphoria. Methadone is commonly prescribed as a treatment for morphine or heroin addictions, or as an alternative to treat chronic pain since it does not promote addiction. 16

17 AUTOPSY 17

18 AUTOPSY Autopsy is the postmortem medical examination designed to identify diseases and injuries and to determine the cause of death. There are 2 basic types: 1. Forensic (Ordered by the Weld Coroner and conducted by a Medical Examiner) 2. Medical (Desired by the family and/or clinician, and conducted by pathologists) 18

19 TOTAL AUTOPSY CASES BY YEAR Averaging a 10% increase each year AVE:

20 CORONER RESPONSES AND AUTOPSY BY YEAR Investigated and Autopsy Investigated No Autopsy Generally 65% of all coroner cases do not go to autopsy

21 TRAFFIC DEATHS 21

22 WELD COUNTY VEHICLE RELATED DEATHS 10-YEARS Single Vehicle Crashes (2014) Year Ave = Includes all persons who died in Weld County involving motor vehicles all types, and not limited to deaths on public roadways. 22

23 SEAT BELT USE WELD COUNTY 2014 Seat Belt Used 49% Seat Belt Not Used 49% Unknown 2% 8 Motorcyclists, 4 Pedestrian, 1 Bicycle death are not included in this seatbelt use slide 23

24 TRAFFIC DEATHS BY VEHICLE OCCUPANT POSITION 2014 Passenger 23% Driver 60% Motorcycle operator 15% 24

25 TRAFFIC DEATHS BY AGE GROUP WELD COUNTY 2014 Ages of decedent Years Years Years Years Years Years No deaths under age 6 25

26 TRAFFIC DEATHS IN/NEAR TOWN Weld County 2014 Greeley / Evans / Lucerne / Kersey area 22 Eaton/Ault / Pierce / Nunn area 10 Fredrick / Firestone / Erie / Dacono area 7 Gill / Galeton / Gilcrest area 5 Hudson / Lochbuie area 4 Milliken / Johnstown area 4 Windsor / Severance area 1 Fort Lupton area 3 All other Weld areas combined 6 26

27 WELD TRAFFIC DEATHS BY MONTH Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 27

28 TRAFFIC DEATHS BY MONTH CUMULATIVE Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 28

29 HOMICIDE DEATHS 29

30 HOMICIDE WELD COUNTY 2014 In 2014 there were 7 deaths classified as homicide 3 White Female; 5 Male (3 Hispanic) 2 Female Multiple homicide 1 Female Multiple homicide attempt 1 Male Homicide/suicide 3 Police action 30

31 WELD COUNTY HOMICIDE DEATHS 10 YEARS YR Ave =

32 SUICIDE DEATHS 32

33 WELD COUNTY SUICIDES 2008 to

34 SUICIDES BY METHOD WELD COUNTY Motor Vehicle Carbon Monoxide Drugs Hanging Gunshot 34

35 SUICIDES BY AGE WELD COUNTY Youngest group: Age 14, Age 16, Age 16, Age 19 35

36 SUICIDE BY ETHNICITY AND GENDER WELD COUNTY 2014 White 95% Male 84% 36

37 SUICIDE Suicide is the 8 th leading cause of death in Weld County. Suicide is the 2 nd leading cause of death for Coloradoans age Colorado has the 7 th highest suicide rate in the country. 37

38 SUICIDE Risk Factors, partial list (Source: The CDC) Previous attempt(s) History of mental disorders, IE: Depression History of ETOH/substance abuse Family history of suicide Family history of child maltreatment Feelings of hopelessness Impulsive or aggressive tendencies Barriers to accessing mental health treatment Loss (relational, social, work or financial) Physical illness Access to lethal methods 38

39 OFFICE OF THE CORONER Requests for other information should be directed to our department by phone or through Department Coroner Information request form 39