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OFFICE OF THE CORONER

2014 Annual Statistical Report

Mark J. Ward, Coroner

915 10th Street, Ste 325 Greeley, CO 80631

Website: www.co.weld.co.us

Pub: March 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Forward Pg 3-7

Community Involvement Pg 8

General data Pg 9-16

Autopsy data Pg 17-20

Traffic death data Pg 21-28

Homicide death data Pg 29-31

Suicide death data Pg 32-39

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The Weld County Coroner’s Office serves the community by investigating sudden and unexpected deaths. The coroner operates in the areas of law and medicine. By statute, the coroner is a law enforcement officer whose authority is limited - this is the role that the public usually sees – the investigation of homicide and deaths related to criminal activity tend to attract the most attention. However, there are other important areas including impact on survivorship benefits, tort actions, and hazards to the public.

In Weld County, the Coroner is appointed, and is assisted through contract Medical Examiners who conduct autopsies.

The coroner’s office is staffed by the Coroner, a Chief Deputy Coroner, four full-time investigators, and an administrative specialist.

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Forward

Weld County is the third most expansive county in Colorado with an area of about 4,000 square miles, and it is the ninth most populous county with a population of about 252,000.

Weld County has an area greater than that of Rhode Island, Delaware, and the District of Columbia combined.

Weld County’s population has grown by 40% since 2000.

There are 26 incorporated towns in Weld County. The county seat and principle city, Greeley, is located in the west-central part of the county and accounts for nearly 40% of the county population.

North Colorado Medical Center, Greeley, is the only hospital in Weld County. 4

Forward

There were 1,483 total Weld County deaths in 2014 and approximately 92% fell under coroner jurisdiction that year.

Forensic autopsies are carried out at McKee Medical Center in Loveland, Colorado – about 20 miles west of Greeley.

On average, forensic autopsy is performed in about 30% of all coroner investigated deaths – most are clarified through investigation only.

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Forward

The office is manned from 9am to 5pm Monday

through Friday. A coroner investigator is “on-call” at

all times.

Investigators respond quickly but non-emergently to

a call. The average response time of an investigator

is 30-minutes (depending on departure and arrival

points, the weather, and the time of day).

Investigators drive about 50,000 miles per year

(combined use of three vehicles).

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Forward

The normal capacity of the Weld County morgue is

20-bodies and the coroner’s office receives about

2-bodies per week. In all, about 335 bodies pass

through the Weld morgue each year (that is about

20% of all cases which fall under coroner

jurisdiction).

The largest number of deaths from a single event

in recent years has been in traffic crashes – with

up to 7 deaths in a single event.

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Forward

INVITED LECTURES / COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Colorado Coroner’s Association Annual Meeting

AIMS Community College – Booze or Bust

Alcohol awareness

Weld Victim Advocates

Role of the Coroner

UNC Criminal Justice Guest Lectures

Ethics Role of the Coroner

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The Weld Coroner’s Office conducts lectures and participates in safety efforts of police departments, college administrators, and others. These outreach efforts cover a variety of subjects throughout the year. An example of these is provided below.

GENERAL DATA

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CORONER INVESTIGATED CASES

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

617 621 680 663 662 661

190 230 268 310

450 490 147 156

168 168

153 215

Inv. and Autopsy

Investigated

Hospice and Nursing

Homes

1141 1116 1007 954

1265

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1366

CORONER OFFICE CASE LOAD 2009-2014

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0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

954 1007

1116 1141

1265 1366

Total Coroner Workload

INVESTIGATED DEATHS 2010-2014

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

386 436

478

603

705

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

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MANNER OF DEATH

OTHER THAN “NATURAL DISEASE”

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Traffic Suicide Other Accidents Homicide Undetermined

41

35

73

7

2

42

37

58

7

10

37

50

42

2 4

57 56

80

7 9

2011 2012 2013 2014 13

WELD COUNTY 2014

80 ACCIDENTAL DEATHS BY TYPE

Drug Use / Abuse 30 (7 Heroin)

Falls 25 (Mostly elders – fall from standing)

Asphyxia – Compression and

position accidents

8 (one infant due to unsafe sleeping)

Aircraft crash 5 (All in single event)

Alcohol Use / Abuse 3

Drowning 3 (2 adults, 1 child age 4)

Exposure to Elements 1

Fire 1

Recreation ATV 1

Carbon Monoxide 1

Cut by machine 1

Explosion 1 14

COMMON DRUGS FOUND IN DRUG DEATHS

SLIDE 1 OF 2 Heroin

Heroin is derived from the morphine alkaloid found in opium and is roughly 2-3 times more potent. A highly addictive drug, heroin is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and as such has no acceptable medical use in the United States. Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste. Most illicit heroin is sold as a white or brownish powder and is usually "cut" with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. It can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons. Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death. Another form of heroin known as "black tar" may be sticky, like roofing tar, or hard, like coal. Its color may vary from dark brown to black.

Hydrocodone

Hydrocodone, a semi-synthetic medication derived from a natural part of the opium plant, is the most frequently prescribed opiate medication, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This medication is only prescribed in combination with other medications, most commonly acetaminophen, to treat moderate to severe pain. Hydrocodone is also combined with ibuprofen or aspirin for pain relief, or guaifenesin or chlorpheniramine to treat coughs.

Oxycodone

Oxycodone, another semi-synthetic medication, is prescribed as a pain reliever for moderate to severe pain. Some prescriptions include only oxycodone while others are combination medications with oxycodone combined with either acetaminophen or aspirin. Oxycodone, according to the DEA, is a common source of illegal drug use resulting in an epidemic of addiction and fatal overdoses in some areas of the United States.

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COMMON DRUGS FOUND IN DRUG DEATHS

SLIDE 2 OF 2

Fentanyl Fentanyl, another synthetic drug, is an opiate prescription medication that is more than 80

times more potent than morphine, according to the DEA. Fentanyl is commonly prescribed as a transdermal (skin) patch for slow delivery of the medication to treat severe chronic pain. Fentanyl, like morphine, is highly addictive.

Cocaine Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug. The powdered hydrochloride salt form of

cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and then injected. Crack is the street name given to the form of cocaine that has been processed to make a rock crystal, which, when heated, produces vapors that are smoked. The term “crack” refers to the crackling sound produced by the rock as it is heated.

Morphine Morphine, a naturally occurring substance in the opium plant, is the drug that all other opiate

drugs are compared to for effectiveness. While it is a highly effective pain reliever, it is also highly addictive, according to HealthFaqs.org.

Methadone Methadone is a synthetic substance that, although different in chemical structure from

morphine, produces the same effects in the body including pain relief and feelings of euphoria. Methadone is commonly prescribed as a treatment for morphine or heroin addictions, or as an alternative to treat chronic pain since it does not promote addiction.

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AUTOPSY

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AUTOPSY

Autopsy is the postmortem medical

examination designed to identify diseases

and injuries and to determine the cause of

death.

There are 2 basic types:

1. Forensic (Ordered by the Weld Coroner and

conducted by a Medical Examiner)

2. Medical (Desired by the family and/or clinician,

and conducted by pathologists)

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0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

140

156 169 168

153

215

AVE: 167

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TOTAL AUTOPSY CASES BY YEAR

Averaging a 10% increase each year

CORONER RESPONSES AND AUTOPSY

BY YEAR 2009 - 2014

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Investigated and Autopsy Investigated No Autopsy

Generally 65% of all coroner cases do not go to autopsy

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TRAFFIC DEATHS

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WELD COUNTY VEHICLE RELATED DEATHS

10-YEARS

50 43

50

44 41

46 41 42

37

62

0

20

40

60

80

100

19 Single

Vehicle Crashes

(2014)

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10 Year Ave = 45.6

Includes all persons who died in Weld County involving motor vehicles – all types, and not limited to deaths on public roadways.

SEAT BELT USE WELD COUNTY 2014

Seat Belt Not

Used

49%

Unknown

2%

Seat Belt

Used

49%

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8 Motorcyclists, 4 Pedestrian, 1 Bicycle death are not included in this seatbelt use slide

TRAFFIC DEATHS BY VEHICLE OCCUPANT

POSITION 2014

Driver 60%

Passenger

23%

Motorcycle

operator 15%

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TRAFFIC DEATHS BY AGE GROUP WELD COUNTY 2014

12

14 10

7

8

9

No deaths under age 6

15-19 Years

20-29 Years

30-39 Years

40-49 Years

50-59 Years

60+ Years

Ages of decedent

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TRAFFIC DEATHS IN/NEAR

TOWN

Greeley / Evans / Lucerne / Kersey area 22

Eaton/Ault / Pierce / Nunn area 10

Fredrick / Firestone / Erie / Dacono area 7

Gill / Galeton / Gilcrest area 5

Hudson / Lochbuie area 4

Milliken / Johnstown area 4

Windsor / Severance area 1

Fort Lupton area 3

All other Weld areas combined 6

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Weld County 2014

WELD TRAFFIC DEATHS BY MONTH

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

2014

27

TRAFFIC DEATHS BY MONTH CUMULATIVE

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

2004-2014

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HOMICIDE DEATHS

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HOMICIDE

WELD COUNTY 2014

In 2014 there were 7 deaths classified as homicide

3 White Female; 5 Male (3 Hispanic)

2 Female – Multiple homicide

1 Female – Multiple homicide attempt

1 Male Homicide/suicide

3 Police action

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WELD COUNTY HOMICIDE DEATHS – 10 YEARS

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

14

5

10

7

8

6

7 7

2

8

31

10 YR Ave = 7

SUICIDE DEATHS

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WELD COUNTY SUICIDES

27 28

40

35 37

50

56

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

2008 to 2014

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SUICIDES BY METHOD

WELD COUNTY 2014

34

0

5

10

15

20

25

Motor

Vehicle Carbon

Monoxide Drugs

Hanging Gunshot

SUICIDES BY AGE WELD COUNTY 2014

-1

1

3

5

7

9

11

13

15

0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+

5

10 10

8

12 11

35 Youngest group: Age 14, Age 16, Age 16, Age 19

SUICIDE BY ETHNICITY AND GENDER WELD COUNTY 2014

Male

84%

36

White

95%

SUICIDE

Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death

in Weld County.

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death

for Coloradoans age 10-34.

Colorado has the 7th highest suicide rate

in the country.

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SUICIDE

Risk Factors, partial list (Source: The CDC) Previous attempt(s)

History of mental disorders, IE: Depression

History of ETOH/substance abuse

Family history of suicide

Family history of child maltreatment

Feelings of hopelessness

Impulsive or aggressive tendencies

Barriers to accessing mental health treatment

Loss (relational, social, work or financial)

Physical illness

Access to lethal methods

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OFFICE OF THE CORONER

Requests for other information should be

directed to our department by phone or through

e-mail.

970-392-4545

http://www.co.weld.co.us

Department Coroner

Information request form

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