Report: TO attempts suicide

MissThing · 09-27-2006, 11:27 AM

Police report: Owens hospitalized after suicide attemptESPN.com news services

DALLAS -- Flamboyant Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens attempted suicide by overdosing on pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after fire rescue personnel arrived, The Associated Press reported Wednesday citing a police report.

A police report says that Terrell Owens was hospitalized after a suicide attempt. Ed Werder and ESPN Radio 103.3's Jennifer Engel give the latest news and early reaction from Dallas.

A Dallas police report released Wednesday morning said Owens told rescue workers "that he was depressed." The report was first released by WFAA-TV.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.

The friend attempted to pry them out with her fingers, then was told by Owens that before this incident he'd taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied. Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

KTVT-TV in Dallas reported that a woman named "Etheridge", likely his publicist Kim Etheridge, called police at 7:51 p.m. to report a suicide attempt. KTVT-TV reported that Owens ingested 35 pills.

The Cowboys have called a 2:30 p.m. ET news conference.

Owens was taken to the emergency room Tuesday night. A source close to Owens had told ESPN's Ed Werder early Wednesday morning that Owens was suffering an adverse reaction to painkillers taken for treatment of his fractured hand.

"This is not serious," Etheridge said in Wednesday's online edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, before news of the reported suicide attempt was released.

A report earlier Tuesday stated that Owens would practice with the team Wednesday and possibly play Sunday at Tennessee, but his availability this week and beyond is now uncertain.

Doctors treating the Dallas Cowboys receiver were trying to induce vomiting when he arrived at Baylor Medical Center, according to a television report.

Owens was brought by a fire rescue crew to the hospital, Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT reported, citing sources the television station did not identify. A reporter for the station later said she saw Owens being wheeled down the hall.

Calls from The Associated Press to Owens' agent, his publicist and the Cowboys were not immediately returned Tuesday night. The hospital told the AP that they do not have a patient registered by Owens' name; however, federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released.

No teammates or Cowboys officials were seen entering the hospital late Tuesday night.

Owens fractured the fourth metacarpal bone in the Cowboys' victory over the Washington Redskins and underwent surgery on Sept. 18. The next day, a plate was screwed in, protecting the bone so it can heal without further damage.

Cowboys coach Bill Parcells mentioned in a press conference shortly thereafter that pain medication had made Owens ill, apparently making this the second time he has had an adverse reaction. The incident that sent him to the hospital Tuesday night apparently occurred sometime after Owens took medication after catching passes at the Cowboys' facility on Tuesday.

With the Cowboys having had a bye last weekend, it was thought that Owens could return without having missed a game. Before Wednesday's developments, Owens said he would play Oct. 8, when he gets to face his former team, the Eagles, in Philadelphia.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2604395

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MissThing · 09-27-2006, 11:31 AM

I hate to be a jerk, but I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, I find it horrifying that any human being is in such depths of despair that suicide is the best solution they can come up with to end their pain. On the other hand, I've come to think that this fellow just absolutely requires such massive amounts of attention that I almost don't trust the event. I feel badly about myself for even thinking that, but the thought did enter my mind.

lildago · 09-27-2006, 11:37 AM

Apparently there are conflicting reports here. This is all over our local news stations. In a statement I just heard from Etheridge, TO's publicist, she says that he did NOT attempt suicide but had an allergic reaction to the painkillers.

Here's a link to the police report.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw...licereport.pdf

ETA: Here's the link to the report from a local station. It's about he same as the ESPN story posted above. If you click on the additional links there, you can watch a video of reporter, Rebecca Lopez, blogging the story. It's pretty interesting.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw....1fd220c5.html

lildago · 09-27-2006, 02:20 PM

Anyone following this story probably knows a news conference with TO is coming up at 1:30 eastern. The reports I'm getting now is that he denies that this was a suicide attempt. Dallas Police gave a news conference about an hour ago and neither confirmed nor denied a suicide attempt but stated it was not a police matter.

ShrinkingViolet · 09-27-2006, 05:12 PM

Cowboys' Owens denies suicide attempt

By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer 2 minutes ago

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens said "there was no suicide attempt," explaining that he mixed painkillers with supplements and became groggy.

He said Wednesday that the confusion over his condition likely stemmed from an empty bottle of pain medication found by his publicist, who was with him at the time. He said the rest of the pills were in a drawer.

Appearing in a news conference at team headquarters a few hours after leaving a hospital for what a police report described as "a drug overdose," Owens wore workout gear and no bandage on his broken right hand. The star receiver smiled and seemed more amused than peeved at the latest ruckus surrounding him.

Owens blamed a combination of hydrocodone, a generic form of Vicodin, with all-natural supplements for making him ill.

"It's very unfortunate for it to go from an allergic reaction to a suicide attempt," he said.

Owens said he feels very capable of playing Sunday in Tennessee, despite this incident and his broken hand. He added that he's "not depressed about anything."

Link

rt1ky · 09-27-2006, 08:07 PM

Was it his girlfriend who made the comment that he has "$25 million reasons to live?" --How classy.

lildago · 09-27-2006, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rt1ky

Was it his girlfriend who made the comment that he has "$25 million reasons to live?" --How classy.

That was his publicist. I think the whole suicide story started because she overreacted when she found him unresponsive.

MissThing · 09-27-2006, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rt1ky

Was it his girlfriend who made the comment that he has "$25 million reasons to live?" --How classy.

I don't know if they have that type of relationship, but she's his publicist.

There still seems to be some information we will probably never know, but he certainly didn't look like someone who'd recently overdosed at his press conference. So, I'm guessing that it's correct that the mixture of supplements and pain medication just didn't mix well, and it was a very temporary situation.

prhoshay · 09-28-2006, 07:59 PM

When people attempt suicide and they go to the hospital, aren't they automatically placed on a 72-hour hold? They usually wouldn't be out of the hospital this quickly.

09-27-2006, 11:27 AM	#1
MissThing Shoveling the ocean Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Camp Quicherbichen Posts: 3,501	Report: TO attempts suicide Police report: Owens hospitalized after suicide attemptESPN.com news services DALLAS -- Flamboyant Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens attempted suicide by overdosing on pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after fire rescue personnel arrived, The Associated Press reported Wednesday citing a police report. A police report says that Terrell Owens was hospitalized after a suicide attempt. Ed Werder and ESPN Radio 103.3's Jennifer Engel give the latest news and early reaction from Dallas. A Dallas police report released Wednesday morning said Owens told rescue workers "that he was depressed." The report was first released by WFAA-TV. The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said. The friend attempted to pry them out with her fingers, then was told by Owens that before this incident he'd taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied. Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'" KTVT-TV in Dallas reported that a woman named "Etheridge", likely his publicist Kim Etheridge, called police at 7:51 p.m. to report a suicide attempt. KTVT-TV reported that Owens ingested 35 pills. The Cowboys have called a 2:30 p.m. ET news conference. Owens was taken to the emergency room Tuesday night. A source close to Owens had told ESPN's Ed Werder early Wednesday morning that Owens was suffering an adverse reaction to painkillers taken for treatment of his fractured hand. "This is not serious," Etheridge said in Wednesday's online edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, before news of the reported suicide attempt was released. A report earlier Tuesday stated that Owens would practice with the team Wednesday and possibly play Sunday at Tennessee, but his availability this week and beyond is now uncertain. Doctors treating the Dallas Cowboys receiver were trying to induce vomiting when he arrived at Baylor Medical Center, according to a television report. Owens was brought by a fire rescue crew to the hospital, Dallas-Fort Worth television station KTVT reported, citing sources the television station did not identify. A reporter for the station later said she saw Owens being wheeled down the hall. Calls from The Associated Press to Owens' agent, his publicist and the Cowboys were not immediately returned Tuesday night. The hospital told the AP that they do not have a patient registered by Owens' name; however, federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released. No teammates or Cowboys officials were seen entering the hospital late Tuesday night. Owens fractured the fourth metacarpal bone in the Cowboys' victory over the Washington Redskins and underwent surgery on Sept. 18. The next day, a plate was screwed in, protecting the bone so it can heal without further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells mentioned in a press conference shortly thereafter that pain medication had made Owens ill, apparently making this the second time he has had an adverse reaction. The incident that sent him to the hospital Tuesday night apparently occurred sometime after Owens took medication after catching passes at the Cowboys' facility on Tuesday. With the Cowboys having had a bye last weekend, it was thought that Owens could return without having missed a game. Before Wednesday's developments, Owens said he would play Oct. 8, when he gets to face his former team, the Eagles, in Philadelphia. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2604395 __________________ Papi on being tested for steroids: "All they are going to find is a lot of rice and beans." I cater to the Regs!

09-27-2006, 11:31 AM	#2
MissThing Shoveling the ocean Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Camp Quicherbichen Posts: 3,501	I hate to be a jerk, but I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, I find it horrifying that any human being is in such depths of despair that suicide is the best solution they can come up with to end their pain. On the other hand, I've come to think that this fellow just absolutely requires such massive amounts of attention that I almost don't trust the event. I feel badly about myself for even thinking that, but the thought did enter my mind. __________________ Papi on being tested for steroids: "All they are going to find is a lot of rice and beans." I cater to the Regs!

09-27-2006, 11:37 AM	#3
lildago Triple Dog Dare Ya Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 9,673	Apparently there are conflicting reports here. This is all over our local news stations. In a statement I just heard from Etheridge, TO's publicist, she says that he did NOT attempt suicide but had an allergic reaction to the painkillers. Here's a link to the police report. http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw...licereport.pdf ETA: Here's the link to the report from a local station. It's about he same as the ESPN story posted above. If you click on the additional links there, you can watch a video of reporter, Rebecca Lopez, blogging the story. It's pretty interesting. http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw....1fd220c5.html Last edited by lildago; 09-27-2006 at 11:50 AM.

09-27-2006, 05:12 PM	#5
ShrinkingViolet Endlessly Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 4,714	Cowboys' Owens denies suicide attempt By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer 2 minutes ago Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens said "there was no suicide attempt," explaining that he mixed painkillers with supplements and became groggy. He said Wednesday that the confusion over his condition likely stemmed from an empty bottle of pain medication found by his publicist, who was with him at the time. He said the rest of the pills were in a drawer. Appearing in a news conference at team headquarters a few hours after leaving a hospital for what a police report described as "a drug overdose," Owens wore workout gear and no bandage on his broken right hand. The star receiver smiled and seemed more amused than peeved at the latest ruckus surrounding him. Owens blamed a combination of hydrocodone, a generic form of Vicodin, with all-natural supplements for making him ill. "It's very unfortunate for it to go from an allergic reaction to a suicide attempt," he said. Owens said he feels very capable of playing Sunday in Tennessee, despite this incident and his broken hand. He added that he's "not depressed about anything." Link Last edited by ShrinkingViolet; 09-27-2006 at 05:16 PM.

09-27-2006, 08:07 PM	#6
rt1ky Dreamer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Trying to free myself from the snarkside. Posts: 3,153	Was it his girlfriend who made the comment that he has "$25 million reasons to live?" --How classy. __________________ Lifetime Guarantee Donate Bibles

09-27-2006, 02:20 PM	#4
lildago Triple Dog Dare Ya Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 9,673	Anyone following this story probably knows a news conference with TO is coming up at 1:30 eastern. The reports I'm getting now is that he denies that this was a suicide attempt. Dallas Police gave a news conference about an hour ago and neither confirmed nor denied a suicide attempt but stated it was not a police matter.

09-28-2006, 07:59 PM	#9
prhoshay Signed, Sealed, Delivered Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Right Here, Right Now Posts: 10,120	When people attempt suicide and they go to the hospital, aren't they automatically placed on a 72-hour hold? They usually wouldn't be out of the hospital this quickly. __________________ "...each affects the other, and the other affects the next, and the world is full of stories, but the stories are all one." - Mitch Albom, one helluva writer You are the only person responsible for your happiness.