Aug. 6, 2025
VIROQUA, Wis. – Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson reports an incident took place at the
Vernon County Courthouse, in the City of Viroqua, on Tuesday morning, August 5, 2025.
A statement from Sheriff Torgerson states that at approximately 9:45 a.m., the Vernon County Clerk of Courts Office received a call indicating there was an unresponsive adult male inside an automobile in the parking lot at the county courthouse.
Court staff immediately summoned the court security officer, a full-time deputy sheriff, who
responded directly to the patient and notified the Sheriff’s Office 911 Dispatch Center requesting
additional resources.
With the busy court schedule, a second court security officer, a part-time deputy sheriff, was
available and retrieved medical equipment and supplies from the patrol vehicle. The first sheriff’s deputy quickly recognized that the patient was displaying signs of an opioid overdose and took immediate action according to his training.
The Viroqua Police Department, Viroqua Fire Department, Viroqua Emergency Medical Responders, and Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance all arrived on scene to further care. The patient was transported to Vernon Health, treated, and released.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, an opioid overdose happens when a
person takes too much of an opioid, or combination of opioids and other drugs, at a level that is toxic to the body. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a person who is using opioids is just very high or actually experiencing a life-threatening overdose. If you are unsure, it is best to assume there is an overdose—you could save a life. Signs of an overdose include:
- Unresponsiveness or unconsciousness.
- Slowed or stopped breathing.
- Snoring or rattling sounds.
- Cold or clammy skin.
- Discolored lips or fingernails.
Sheriff Torgerson says depending on their roles, most Sheriff’s Office staff are trained in the use of Naloxone (Narcan),the opioid reversal drug. Narcan has become widely available to anyone. Just five days ago the Sheriff’s Office released a statement on a partnership with the Viroqua Police Department to make Narcan and other helpful supplies more accessible to the public. The sheriff also reminded us that an opioid overdose could occur with a person legally prescribed opioid medication. The risks are not only to those who use illegal drugs; however, most incidents reported to the Sheriff’s Office involve the use of illegal and extremely dangerous drugs.
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