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MIFFLINTOWN -- A jury trial for a man accused of providing a controlled substance that led to the overdose death of his friend continues today at the Juniata County Courthouse.
Kenneth R. Varnes, 26, of Mifflintown, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and drug delivery resulting in the 2015 death of 20-year-old Chad Zimmerman, among other charges.
Senior Judge Keith Quigley and jurors heard from more than a dozen witnesses Monday, including law enforcement, an expert toxicologist and multiple friends and family members.
According to testimony, in June 2015, Varnes delivered heroin to Zimmerman that could have ultimately led to his overdose and death.
Forensic scientists and toxicology reports revealed that Zimmerman's death was caused by a mixed substance toxicity.
According to testimony from Nadine Koenig, manager in the toxicology department at Health Network Laboratories in Allentown, he had high levels of morphine as well as low levels of both Codeine and Xanax in his system. Koenig affirmed that heroin was present in Zimmerman's system, but couldn't specify when the heroin was used. For this reason, Varnes's defense attorney questioned whether it was the heroin that caused the death or whether he may have taken some other form of morphine that caused the death.
Barb Zimmerman, Chad's mother, testified that at the time of his death, he was on prescriptions for Codeine and Xanax to cope with symptoms and surgeries from his crohn's disease.
Koenig said levels of Codeine and Xanax in Zimmerman's system were below the therapeutic range and alone would not likely have caused an overdose death.
Dr. Barbara Bollinger, of Forensic Pathology Associates, said she believed the drugs working together are what caused his death, but also said it is possible that the morphine level in his blood alone could have caused it. "I believe the combination of substances that synergistically caused Mr. Zimmerman's death," she said.
Barb Zimmerman testified that on Feb. 14, 2015, Chad had gone into a 32-day rehabilitation program due to dependency on his prescription medications.
Since he had gotten out, Barb Zimmerman said she had been monitoring him closely by checking his phone, prescriptions and controlling his paychecks.
On June 22, Chad Zimmerman, who was living with his parents in Mifflintown, got off work early got off work early for reasons that were unclear. When his mother found out, she said she ordered him to come home immediately and he complied.
The next afternoon, June 23, 2015, Chad Zimmerman was found deceased, an emotional Barb Zimmerman told the jury said.
Cory Zimmerman, Chad's brother, testified that about a week after his death, Varnes contacted him saying he wanted to meet with him because he thought he might know who gave his brother the drugs, but Cory Zimmerman told him he did not feel comfortable doing so.
Kali Harper, Chad's girlfriend testified that he did become addicted to opioids from taking prescriptions for his crohn's disease. "He admitted to having a problem and wanted to get better," she said. Following rehab, she said Chad's behavior improved and he was "back to his old self."
Harper testified that Varnes contacted her after the funeral because he wanted to answer any questions she had about heroin because he had previous issues with drug addiction.
At that time, Varnes told her that he didn't know where Chad got the drugs, but later told her that he supplied them.
Now retired Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Richard Leight said multiple prescription pill bottles were seized from the scene, including two prescriptions that had another family member's name on them.
Kellie Raeshtsky, a friend of Varnes', testified that she spend a few days with him leading up to Chad Zimmerman's death. She said she was getting ready to go on a trip with him, but that they ran out of gas and that Chad brought them some. At that time, she testified, Varnes gave him one or two bags of heroin.
A former Pennsylvania State Police Trooper, Blane Henderson, testified that Varnes told him that during an interview, he told him they were friends and had done heroin together. At that time, Varnes told him before he died gave him one or two bags of heroin and said he felt responsible and was very emotional "he seemed remorseful and sad," he said.