N.J. father sues paramedics 2 years after son's overdose death

According to the lawsuit, Somerville police administered two doses of naloxone to Jonathan C. Reina Jr., 19, who refused treatment and transportation by paramedics

By Leila Merrill

SOMERVILLE, N.J. — The father of a man who died of an overdose two years ago is suing police and paramedics, MyCentralJersey reported Thursday.

Jonathan Reina Sr. is accusing them of negligence for not transporting his son to a hospital after he was revived from an overdose in August 2020.

Jonathan C. Reina Jr., 19, died of an overdose two days later.

Neither the Somerville Police Department nor Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has filed a response to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit states that police officers responded to a report of a nonresponsive overdose victim on Aug. 20, 2020. They administered Narcan. When the patient's condition did not improve, they administered a second dose. He regained consciousness, the suit states.

The patient is said to have denied to police any use of opioids, saying he only ingested alcohol. The lawsuit also states that he did not turn over any controlled substances.

When paramedics arrived, Reina refused treatment and transportation.

The suit states that the EMS providers and officers left the scene, and Reina walked home.

On Aug. 20, the father found his son, who was nonresponsive, and called 911. His son was pronounced dead.

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