Several employees OD on the job at popular south Charlotte restaurant

CHARLOTTE — Multiple employees overdosed on drugs Friday night while working at the Carolina Ale House in south Charlotte, officials said.

MEDIC told Channel 9 paramedics responded to the restaurant off Providence Road at Ardrey Kell Road at about 9:30 p.m. after reports of multiple overdoses.

Four employees overdosed and at least one admitted to using cocaine, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said.

Sandra Ross told Channel 9 she was eating dinner with friends at the restaurant when a hostess collapsed.

“We saw the emergency vehicles, bringing people out on stretchers,” Ross said. “We though the hostess was having a medical emergency. … Well, our waitress went back to the back to get our food and she came back crying and said that one of the cooks was passed out.”

Medical personnel said they administered Narcan to the workers, whose ages ranged from 30 to 52. Two employees were treated at a hospital, and one refused to go, CMPD said.

Ross said restaurant management asked customers to leave as employees grew emotional.

“They seemed to be friends and tight knit in there,” she said. “They were crying. I remember one girl particularly, she was screaming.”

Police said an ER nurse found cocaine on two of the employees. CMPD will test the drugs to find out if it was cocaine and whether it was laced with fentanyl.

Police have not announced any charges.

The president of Carolina Ale House’s parent company said in a statement they are cooperating fully with authorities during the investigation.

That didn’t mean much to Ross.

“I will not go back,” she said. “I will not go back.”

Statement from Amber Moshakos, President LM Restaurants:

“On Friday, our team reacted quickly to an incident involving four of our team members. We are fully cooperating with authorities as they look into this matter.

“We are grateful for our team members acting as swiftly as they did to implement their training and assist in life-saving efforts for the staff that were effected.

“We are providing emotional support to our team through our Employee Assistance Program. Mental health providers are on call to support them.

“We’re praying for those impacted, working closely with law enforcement, and are focused on supporting our team.”

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