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Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

Dalton mental health facility fires man charged with sexually assaulting patient

Patrick Collins Nix
Patrick Collins Nix

An employee of Highland Rivers Health — a facility which treats patients with mental illness, addiction or developmental and intellectual disabilities — was fired Wednesday after being charged with sexual assault of a patient by the Dalton Police Department.

This comes after Patrick Collins Nix was placed on unpaid administrative leave after he allegedly raped a female patient early in the morning of Aug. 8.

photo Patrick Collins Nix

“Mr. Nix was terminated from Highland Rivers Health effective today,” said Andy Derryberry of Derryberry Public Relations who represents Highland Rivers Health. “The termination resulted from a violation of the therapeutic boundary policy.”

Officers spoke with the victim the morning after the alleged incident took place, according to a police report. When the two officers arrived at the scene, they said the victim was “was crying, her body was shaking and she appeared to cower in her chair,” while recounting the events of the previous night.

The victim, who has not been identified, said at 11:15 p.m. the previous night, Nix called her into an office where he began asking personal questions that made her feel “uncomfortable,” the report said. The victim went to her room and Nix did an initial bed check. That’s when Nix told her he was a sex addict, the report said.