By Mark Vester
It was reported by Mike Gisick of The Albuquerque Tribune, that former champion Johnny Tapia is currently unconscious at an Albuquerque hospital from an apparent cocaine overdose. Tapia's wife, Teresa, called police at about 4:30 a.m. after she found him in his hotel room at the Country Inn and Suites on Pan American Freeway Northeast and said he was having trouble breathing.
Firefighters found Tapia unconscious, took him to University of New Mexico Hospital, where he was still unconscious as of 10:30 this morning, according to Albuquerque police spokeswoman Trish Hoffman.
Tapia, age 40, will face drug possession charges as a plastic bag with cocaine was found in his hotel room.
Tapia has battled his demons with drugs for many years, and this has not been the first, or second time that Tapia overdosed on some kind of drug. Tapia has been arrested several times in the past for drugs and DWI violations.