Agency Says Off-Duty Maine Officer Died of Fentanyl Overdose

The Lewiston (ME) Police Department said in a statement that 34-year-old Officer Nicholas Meserve died from acute fentanyl intoxication in February.

According to the Sun Journal , Chief Brian O'Malley said an investigation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause and manner of death.

O’Malley said Meserve's death "is a very personal matter for the Meserve family" and "I hope it’s a reminder that the opioid epidemic touches the lives of many in the community regardless of their wealth, race, religion or profession."

Meserve's death was initially reported as the result of an underlying medical condition.