Mass. Police Pulled Man from Cave after Apparent OD

June 17--City police, firefighters and paramedics ended up in a slippery situation Saturday while trying to rescue a Gloucester man from a cave after he had apparently suffered a drug overdose.

The incident also led to charges against both the man and a friend who was at the scene.

Jordan S. Allen, 19, of 7 Traverse St., Apt. 2, faces a trespassing charge, as well as one for assault and battery on ambulance personnel.

Allen was found in a seaside cave off Nautilus Road following a medical emergency call to officials at 10:08 a.m.

Police, firefighters and paramedics all responded to the cave, which was below sea level but was accessible due to the tide, according to a police report. U.S. Coast Guard officials and Environmental Police were on standby in the ocean in case officials needed help.

Allen was not able to speak when emergency officials found him and was "in a clinched position," according to police. Responders suspected he was suffering not only an overdose, but also hypothermia from either going in the water or being soaked by waves hitting the cave.

Officials administered Allen one round of nasal Narcan, a drug used to reverse a drug overdose, then followed it with a second round of Narcan administered through an IV.

Police said Allen then recovered from the overdose but became combative with officials. This led to him biting the left arm of one of the paramedics.

When Allen was finally handcuffed and secured in a strokes stretcher, officials had to pull him up by rope 30 feet out of the cave and over a cliff.

Allen was brought to Addison Gilbert Hospital for treatment.

According to the police report, Allen later told officials that he used a drug called 6 ethyl-6 nor-lysergic acid diethylamide -- or Etz -- which he said has effects similar to LSD.

Allen said he used about two or three milliliters of Etz but didn't feel the effects. He used more -- how much he wasn't certain -- before shooting heroin. He said he didn't remember anything after that.

Peter L. Parisi, 20, of Ocean View Drive, who notified police of Allen's possible overdose, was also handed a trespassing charge.

Arianna MacNeill can be reached at 978-675-2710 or at amacneill@gloucestertimes.com. Follow her on Twitter at @GDTArianna. Check for her blog posts in Cape Ann Chat on the GDT's website.

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