Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- Two doctors offices on Milstead Road were evacuated Monday morning after a woman accidentally left a package containing her medications at one of the offices.

According to Sharon Webb, public information officer at Rockdale County Fire and Rescue, the woman, who was reportedly incoherent, left the package at the receptionist's window at Associated Foot & Ankle Specialist around 9 a.m. Webb said the package was a plastic Folger's coffee canister.

Employees in the office believed the package to be suspicious and first called the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office. Once a deputy arrived on the scene and moved the package to the parking lot, it was determined that Rockdale Fire and Rescue should be called to the scene, Webb said. Engine No. 8, Squad 8, Haz-Mat 6 and mutual aid assistance from Walton County's Haz-Mat team were dispatched to the scene, according to Webb.

The offices were evacuated and Milstead Road was closed from Sigman Road to Norton Road for approximately three hours, Webb said.

"Rockdale County Fire-Rescue and Walton County Haz-Mat technicians suited up and moved in to evaluate the package," according to Webb. "Air samples were taken around the package with the air monitoring equipment and all results were within normal limits. The Haz-Mat technicians then were able to remove the lid and found the container to be full of prescription vials."

At that point, the incident was returned to the control of the Sheriff's Office, Webb said.

RCSO Investigator Michael Camp said the woman who left the coffee can was identified by her name on the medications.

"The deputy who responded originally went and responded to the person and, at that point, she had kind of been freaking out because she couldn't find her medications," Camp said.

Camp said the woman had no ill intent in leaving the package.

"She said she kept her medication in that can because she thought people were going to steal her medication," Camp said.

"They ended up returning the can to her, and she was grateful," he added.