A man at the center of a viral photo showing two people passed out from drugs with a child in the back seat of a car in East Liverpool is headed to jail.
James Acord, 47, pleaded no contest last week to OVI and endangering children charges and was immediately sentenced to 360 days in jail.
A photo of Acord — and passenger Rhonda Pasek — showing the two overdosed on drugs went viral after it was posted to the City of East Liverpool Facebook page last week.
An officer approached Acord's car on St. Clair Avenue around 3 p.m. last Wednesday after noticing he was driving erratically. Pasek was passed out in the passenger's seat. Acord went unconscious while talking to the officer.
They were both given "several rounds" of Narcan by paramedics, taken to a hospital for treatment and then arrested.
"We feel it necessary to show the other side of this horrible drug," the city wrote on its Facebook page last week. "We feel we need to be a voice for the children caught up in this horrible mess. This child can't speak for himself but we are hopeful his story can convince another user to think twice about injecting this poison while having a child in their custody. We are well aware that some may be offended by these images and for that we are truly sorry, but it is time that the non drug using public sees what we are now dealing with on a daily basis."
Pasek is currently facing child endangerment and disorderly conduct charges. She pleaded not guilty in court last week. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 15.
