Chattanooga Police have charged James Kelly Harbison, 52, in connection with a drug overdose that occurred on March 28, 2018. Harbison is charged with tampering/fabricating evidence and filing false reports.
On the evening of March 28, 2018, Chattanooga Police responded to a local hospital where Erik Patty, 37, was found alone and unresponsive in the parking lot.
Mr. Patty received immediate medical treatment, but did not survive and was pronounced dead on April 1, 2018.
Since the original call, narcotics investigators have conducted extensive follow-up investigation. Their efforts during the past 18 months led to the arrest of Harbison who was booked into the Hamilton County Jail on Oct. 1, 2019.
At this time, Harbison is not charged with causing Mr. Patty’s death.
CPD narcotics officers continue the investigation on this case.