Flex Spa La, a gay men’s bathhouse in Los Angeles, is facing a lawsuit related to the death of Martin P. O’Toole in 2019 from a methamphetamine overdose. O’Toole’s family alleges negligence against Flex Spa (Flexeco Incorporated) and its staff, claiming they delayed calling 911 after finding him unconscious. The lawsuit seeks wrongful death and survival action damages.
The lawsuit alleges that a doctor at Flex Spa, Eric Friedrichsen, found O’Toole unconscious and alerted an employee, Victor Gil Neyra. Instead of immediately calling 911, they allegedly moved O’Toole back to his room and left him unattended. Almost an hour later, Neyra found O’Toole unresponsive and then called 911. Paramedics pronounced O’Toole dead at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled O’Toole’s death as accidental methamphetamine intoxication. Court documents indicate both parties are actively pursuing their respective legal positions. Flexeco argues the plaintiffs must meet specific legal standards for pleading wrongful death and survival actions, including demonstrating they are legal heirs.
A trial date has been set for September 14, 2023. The case raises significant questions about the responsibility of businesses like Flex Spa LA in responding to medical emergencies and potential drug overdoses on their premises.
Prior to his death, Martin O’Toole had a distinguished legal career. He held degrees from St. Mary’s College and Catholic University, worked for Senator Tom Harkin, and practiced law in Illinois and California for 30 years specializing in entertainment, civil litigation, and intellectual property law. His unexpected death underscores the tragic consequences of the ongoing substance abuse crisis.
The incident at Flex Spa LA highlights the broader public health crisis of methamphetamine and fentanyl overdoses in Los Angeles County and the United States. These overdoses disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including those experiencing homelessness. In 2021, over 2,700 people died from accidental drug overdoses in LA County, with methamphetamine and fentanyl involved in roughly half the cases.
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant with potentially fatal health consequences. It can be smoked, snorted, injected, or ingested orally. Overdose deaths involving methamphetamine have risen dramatically in recent years.
Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid often mixed with other drugs without users’ knowledge, significantly increases the risk of overdose. Its high potency, up to 100 times that of morphine, has made it a leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide. The CDC attributes two-thirds of the 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021 to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The presence of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply poses a severe threat to public health.