Greensburg man charged in connection with drug overdose death
A Greensburg man is facing charges in connection with a fatal drug overdose last year.
City police charged Hugh J. Hawkey Jr., 48, on Friday with drug delivery resulting in death and related offenses. In a criminal complaint, police said they believe Hawkey is responsible for providing a fatal dose of drugs to Eric Cummings, 43.
Cummings died Aug. 27 — two days after being released from the Westmoreland County Prison — at a home on West Otterman Street from an overdose on fentanyl and animal sedative xylazine, according to police.
Authorities said they learned from a witness that that Cummings was with Hawkey the day before he was found dead. The DNA of both men was found on four stamp bags of drugs that were near Cummings’ body, according to court papers.
An arrest warrant was issued for Hawkey Friday. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. Hawkey has a long criminal history involving drugs and is set to plead guilty in May in a drug possession case filed by Greensburg police, according to court records.
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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