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.

Purvis allegedly attempted to take High’s pulse and placed a blood pressure cuff on High as he sat on a couch.

Purvis also placed an electric dog collar on High’s arm, neck and face. When Purvis allegedly shocked High with the dog collar witnesses saw High’s muscles “twitch” but High did not wake up, according to the criminal complaint.

While High was overdosing, Purvis asked a neighbor to help move High out of the apartment and they moved High into the hallway. Purvis, accompanied by two women, then “went shopping at the Walmart in Pottstown,” according to the criminal complaint.

When Purvis and the women returned to the apartment they noticed High was pale, had no pulse and was not breathing, according to the arrest affidavit. Purvis allegedly told the women they would call 911 but say that High had been up and moving around when they went to Walmart.

Detectives alleged Purvis also destroyed videotapes from cameras he had installed in his apartment in an attempt to cover up the crime and hinder the investigation. Markovich testified Wednesday that several camera mounts could be seen around the apartment but that only one camera was recovered from the scene.

The defense argued Wednesday to reduce Purvis’ bail to $99,000. The Commonwealth argued the Purvis was a significant flight risk.

Purvis was held on all charges and bail remained at $500,000.