Hearing planned on Cincinnati area heroin overdose surge

CINCINNATI (AP) – Law enforcement and government officials plan to appear before a judge for a hearing about the recent surge of drug overdoses in the Cincinnati area.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters’ (DEE’-turz) office says he, Sheriff Jim Neil and other officials will be at the courtroom of Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Ruehlman (ROOHL’-mun) on Wednesday morning.

Other details on the hearing weren’t released immediately.

Authorities have said nearly 300 overdoses have been reported in the Cincinnati area since Aug. 19, with 174 reported in a six-day period. Communities in West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana also saw overdose spikes in recent weeks.

The Hamilton County coroner said Tuesday that tests confirm that a powerful animal tranquilizer was mixed with heroin used by some recent overdose casualties.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.