Investigators: Paramedic stole potent pain relievers on the job

GENESEE COUNTY (WJRT) -- (11/19/09)--Investigators say a Genesee County paramedic stole potent pain relievers while on the job and replaced them with saline.

Wednesday, Michael Rose was charged. He is accused of switching out powerful drugs like morphine and fentanyl and then using them himself.

Rose can't currently serve as a paramedic in Genesee County. The county's medical control authority suspended him indefinitely in May.

Under his rehabilitation plan, he is now eligible to return to work and be heavily monitored as an EMT.

Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell says a six month investigation found Rose removed or replaced morphine or fentanyl from a paramedic drug box at least seven times.

"Imagine that somebody who is laying there in cardiac arrest thinks they're getting morphine and instead is getting saline solution which isn't going to do a darn thing," said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.

"That's the real danger and the scary part of what happened here."

Rose faces 14 felonies related to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and possession of the powerful pain relievers.

"This guy crossed the ethical line," Pickell said. "And he should be held accountable."

Bruce Trevithick is with the Genesee County Medical Control Authority, the group that suspended Rose after its own investigation.

"It's only dealing with our rules as it related to EMS," he said.

They did not report Rose.

"We're not obligated to report this to any law enforcement," Trevithick said.

Pickell says he has concerns about that, about Rose possibly working as a paramedic again and also about backlash he says he's facing because of his investigation.

A DVA Ambulance official says Rose worked there for a short time and resigned. Pickell says DVA has cooperated fully with his investigation.

Rose's attorney says he has not seen any reports or evidence from the sheriff's department, so he declined to comment.

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