The same day an Alton woman was taken to a hospital and later died from a suspected overdose of the synthetic drug commonly sold as "bath salts," a Granite City man was rushed to an emergency room after possibly overdosing on the drug.
Jeffrey Hodge, 26, of the 2700 block of Iowa, was found at 7:42 p.m. Tuesday in the 2500 block of Lincoln Avenue by police, who were responding to a report of a man "yelling and acting crazy," Granite City Police Major Jeff Connor said.
Hodge was placed under arrest for disorderly conduct, Connor said. He was conscious when police arrived and told them he had taken bath salts.
He was actually eating the dirt while he was handcuffed," Connor said. "That's how crazy he was acting."
Police became concerned with his well-being. He eventually lost consciousness and was taken to the emergency room before he was transferred to Saint Louis University Hospital where he remained Thursday night.
"He's still in very serious condition," Connor said.
How much of the substance he ingested or which brand of bath salts he had used was not revealed because the case is under investigation.
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