Man faces charges in drug death

A Pottstown man will face a trial after he is accused of providing drugs to a Lower Pottsgrove man who died of an overdose in late March.

Ronald Purvis, 32, of East High Street, has been charged with drug delivery resulting in death, manufacture, delivery or possession with intent, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, hindering apprehension of evidence, obstruction of law, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.

The charges stem from a March 29 incident in which Purvis allegedly provided drugs to Kevin High, 29, of Lower Pottsgrove, who was later found dead by authorities. Purvis was held on all charges during a preliminary hearing before District Judge Edward C. Kropp.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Pottstown Detective Sgt. Michael Markovich testified that he received the call for an

unconscious person at around 4 a.m. on March 30 at 374-376 East High Street. Upon arrival, Markovich stated he found High at the bottom of the stairs with his property scattered from the top to the bottom of the stairs.

Markovich added that High was deceased when he arrived

and noted a small cut above his left eye that was not bleeding. When the coroner arrived, Markovich said he also noted scratches and brush burns on his back.

An autopsy report indicated that High died of combined drug intoxication of fentanyl

and methamphetamine and that the injuries occurred at or near the time of death.

The investigation determined High went to Purvis’ apartment during the late afternoon of March 29.

At that time, Purvis allegedly gave High a bag, which usually

contained heroin, and a metal container, which usually contained methamphetamine, and High ingested the contents of the bag and container, according to the criminal complaint.

Witnesses who had been in and out of Purvis’ apartment around the same time told detectives

High immediately began acting differently. High began talking more slowly and then passed out and his breathing became irregular and there was a “weird sound, like a snorting kind of sound in the back of the throat,” according to the arrest affidavit.