State trooper receives multiple doses of Narcan after drug bust in Murrysville

A Pittsburgh man is charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and illegal possession of narcotics following a drug bust Thursday evening in Murrysville, after which a state police trooper had to receive multiple doses of Narcan, according to court records.

The trooper, who was transported to AHN Hempfield Hospital, was exposed to an unknown substance while searching Robert M. Whitley Jr.’s car during a drug investigation, according to a criminal complaint.

State police received information around 1:45 p.m. Thursday that Whitley, 25, of Pittsburgh’s Terrace Village neighborhood, would be transporting heroin or fentanyl and cocaine from Allegheny County to the Walmart at 6700 Hollywood Boulevard in Murrysville.

Troopers saw Whitley pull into the Walmart parking lot and conducted a traffic stop, the complaint said. While a trooper was sweeping the vehicle for additional occupants, they came into contact with an unknown substance, police said.

The trooper began to exhibit signs of possible narcotics exposure upon returning to the state police station in Greensburg. Multiple doses of Narcan were administered by troopers and Mutual Aid EMS.

State police were granted a search warrant for Whitley’s vehicle around 5:30 p.m. and discovered more than 40 bricks of suspected heroin or fentanyl and about 5.5 ounces of suspected cocaine.

Whitley was arraigned at 7:30 p.m. Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Mark Mansour. He is being held in Westmoreland County jail without bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 3.