By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Police have identified the body of the man found Friday in a recycling dumpster behind Jim’s Park and Shop on First Street.
The man, identified as Max Braun, 31, had apparently climbed into the dumpster that is used to recycle cardboard on his own. Foul play is not suspected, said Capt. Robert Blovsky of the Olean Police Department Street Crimes Unit.
Braun, who had told police earlier that he was homeless, often couch surfed, Blovsky said. Braun grew up in Vermont, where he still has family. Olean Police investigators notified them Tuesday.
Employees at Jim’s Park and Shop discovered the body when they went to put cardboard inside about 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Owner Jim Mahar notified 911 immediately and city police, fire and ambulance crews, who were on location in just a few minutes.
Braun had not been reported missing by anyone and it’s unclear how long he was in the cardboard recycling container behind the First Street grocery store.
There was no obvious sign pointing to the cause of death, Blovsky said. The body was taken to Erie County Medical Center for an autopsy. Toxicology tests could take months, he said.
Without the results of toxicology tests, Blovsky said police cannot assume a cause of death and are not presuming it to be an overdose.
There is currently a bad mix of fentanyl going around, Blovsky said.
The Cattaraugus County Health Department has been distributing test strips to determine if drugs contain traces of fentanyl in a bid to prevent overdoses.
Southern Tier Health Care Systems has provided more than 100 Narcan opioid antidote doses so far in 2024 — mostly replacements.
Cattaraugus County Public Health Director Dr. Kevin D. Watkins said Tuesday that efforts by community groups, first responders, the health department and Southern Tier Health Systems have had an impact on opioid overdose deaths.
He cited as an example that the county has recorded six opioid overdose deaths in the first eight months of 2024 as compared to 2020 when there were 12 confirmed overdose deaths. The cause of death of one suspected overdose from June has not been confirmed.
“We have really seen a remarkable improvement in the number of opioid deaths,” Watkins said. “We are on a road to somewhat of a recovery compared to past years.
The more than 100 uses of Narcan this year to revive people in the county suffering overdoses has saved 100 lives, Watkins added.
