JASPER, Tenn. — An autopsy of a Marion County man who died in November after drinking too much at a party confirmed the cause of death as alcohol poisoning, authorities said.
Hershel “Hershey” Privett Jr., 18, was found dead Nov. 10 after leaving a party where he drank alcohol supplied by 23-year-old Gary R. Dickens, Marion County Detective Chad Johnson said.
“There were no other contributing factors,” Detective Johnson said.
Mr. Dickens, who hosted the party, was bound over to the grand jury last week on charges of criminally negligent homicide and supplying alcohol to underage persons, records show.
Codefendant Cody A. Smith, 19, was bound over on charges of evidence tampering, underage alcohol consumption and joy riding, records show.
Family members couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.
But his father, Hershel Privett Sr. and mother, Stacy White, both said in November they believed the death was no accident.
“It was just plain murder,” Mr. Privett Sr. said the day of his son’s funeral.
Authorities said the charges probably won’t be upgraded when the case is heard in Circuit Court.
Mr. Privett was found dead inside an SUV driven by two 18-year-olds who were trying to take him from a party on Osceola Drive to the hospital, authorities said.
The youths found with Mr. Privett, and another the same age found at the party, were charged with underage consumption of alcohol but were not charged in Mr. Privett’s death, authorities said.
Mr. Dickens was the only adult of drinking age at the party and he provided the teens with alcohol, records state. Mr. Smith was charged with tampering with evidence because he “was attempting to take Mr. Privett’s vehicle to another location in order to cover up a crime scene,” warrants state.
Assistant District Attorney Julia Oliver said the case will go to the grand jury April 7 and the two men will remain free on bond until their arraignment April 18.
Ben Benton is a news reporter at the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He covers Southeast Tennessee and previously covered North Georgia education. Ben has worked at the Times Free Press since November 2005, first covering Bledsoe and Sequatchie counties and later adding Marion, Grundy and other counties in the northern and western edges of the region to his coverage. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Tenn., a graduate of Bradley Central High School. Benton ...
