Bartholomew County alerts public of uptick in overdose deaths During the first 4 months of 2021, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office has responded to an alarming number of drug overdoses. Author: Sarah Jones Updated: 7:54 PM EDT May 5, 2021 BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY, Ind. — The CDC said it saw the the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12 month period during the pandemic. “It hits pretty much all demographics of society,” said Chris Lane, Chief Deputy of Bartholomew Sheriff’s Office. Like the rest of the country, Columbus, Indiana in Bartholomew County has also seen an increase in suspected overdose cases. The CDC said, “while overdose deaths were already increasing in the months preceding the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the latest numbers suggest an acceleration of overdose deaths during the pandemic.”