GIFFORD — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office says that the death of a Gifford man in June was a result of an “excited delirium” from having taken Flakka, a designer drug that has found its way into the area.
The Sheriff’s Office closed its investigation into the death of Jermaine Benjamin, 42, whose behavior shortly before 4 a.m. June 16 prompted a 9-1-1 call to the 4300 block of 35th Avenue.
The caller told authorities that Benjamin was “tripping” and “acting crazy,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Benjamin’s death to be the result of taking Flakka.
“We are greatly concerned that Flakka has reached our streets and our youth,” Sheriff Deryl Loar said. “We will do everything we can to arrest those who peddle this garbage in our community. Drug users should be wary of purchasing anything that may be Flakka as it might be your last purchase.”
Flakka, a drug described as being more powerful than heroin or cocaine, is a dangerous designer narcotic that Indian River County Sheriff’s Office detectives are seeing more often.
“Many users think they are purchasing Molly, but in reality, they are sold a dose of deadly Flakka,” said Detective Sergeant Anthony Civita. “We are seeing more of it on the streets, even interviewing people high on Flakka.”
Flakka, or alpha-PVP as it is known to law enforcement, can cause psychotic breakdowns, hallucinations, and incidents of violence without warning. The drug can be smoked, swallowed, or injected.
Flakka is considered a cousin to the drug combination found in bath salts, another deadly drug that hit South Florida in recent years. Flakka’s chemical composition prevents the body from naturally reducing the hormones associated with excitement, created by the drug. In turn, the drug can cause an extended period of sustained escalation resulting in body temperature increase.
Users have reported the sensation of being on fire and many are found without clothing. This sustained internal temperature can ultimately lead to internal bleeding, multi-organ failure, or death, according to the Sheriff’s Office.