2 men found unresponsive in garage died of cocaine overdose, sheriff says

Two of the men found unresponsive in a garage in Eyota last week died of a drug overdose, a preliminary autopsy found.

Deputies with the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of three men unresponsive in a garage at the 500 block of Canyon Lane Northwest at around 1 a.m. on Jan. 15.

At the scene, deputies found three unconscious men, one of whom was pronounced dead at the scene. He has since been identified by the sheriff’s office as Brandon Joseph Mueller, of Eyota.

The other two men provide with Narcan, which is used to reverse the effects of a drug overdose. One of the men regained consciousness and confirmed to deputies with a thumbs up that they had been using drugs.

The two men were then taken to Mayo Clinic Saint Marys. On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office confirmed that another one of the men, identified as Anthony George Holzer of Eyota, had died at the hospital.

The other man was treated and released.

A preliminary autopsy found that the men had died of a drug overdose, specifically from cocaine intoxication. But a toxicology report is needed to identify an actual cause of death, which could include other substances present in the cocaine or another standalone substance.

"As stated, we are releasing this information out of concern for public safety in hopes that no other victims are affected by potentially dangerous controlled substances, whether they be 'laced' into other drugs or a standalone substance," the sheriff's office said. 

"Although unknown in this particular incident, other overdoses have included pressed pills or drugs laced with fentanyl or carfentanil, both of which are powerful synthetic opioids."

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.