The man accused of setting a fire at a Cornelia hotel was taken into custody after a heroin overdose, police records show.
On June 3, a woman called 911 to report that Shawn Harkness was at her home in Alto. She told authorities she found him at a gas station on Ga. 365 in Baldwin.
“She knew it was Shawn and knew he was wanted,” the incident report states.
The woman told officials Harkness was using heroin and later, at her home, became unresponsive. A deputy attempted to revive Harkness with Narcan but he did not respond.
Banks County EMS transported him to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Braselton. Upon his release from the hospital on June 5, deputies arrested Harkness on an outstanding warrant from the State Fire Marshal’s Office for first-degree arson.
Hotel fire
Harkness, 43, of Demorest, was being sought in connection with a fire that broke out around 4:47 p.m. on May 31 at the Days Inn on Level Grove Road. The fire forced the evacuation of the 40-room hotel. Eleven rooms were rented at the time, officials say.
Cornelia firefighters responded to the call. They quickly isolated the fire in the hotel’s storage room and extinguished it. Following an inspection, a state investigator determined it was arson.
“After interviewing witnesses, our agent determined Mr. Harkness to be the primary suspect,” said state fire commissioner John King.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office issued a press release on June 2 asking for the public’s help to locate Harkness. Georgia Arson Control offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
It’s unclear whether the woman that reported Harkness being at her home will receive the reward.
A judge denied him bond and he remains in the Habersham County jail.
