A man wanted for allegedly burglarizing a bakery shop in downtown Cornelia is behind bars, and according to police, he’s lucky to be alive.
Cornelia police had been searching for Chance Hess for several days when they were called to a residence in response to an overdose on June 28. The officers administered Narcan to revive the man, says Police Chief Jonathan Roberts.
“While the officers rendered aid, they recognized the patient as Hess,” Roberts says.
Habersham County EMS transported Hess to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Demorest. Upon his release from the hospital, police transported him to the Habersham County jail, where he was booked on a felony burglary charge.
Roberts says officers identified Hess as the burglary suspect from surveillance images taken by the bakery’s security camera. After securing warrants for him, it took a week to find him.
“We received a lot of tips from citizens on the possible whereabouts of Mr. Hess but seemed to be two seconds too late,” says Roberts. That is until the overdose call came in.
“Mr. Hess chose to use fentanyl in a manner not intended, and it almost took his life,” Chief Roberts says. “He’s lucky someone called 911.”
As of June 30, Hess remained in the Habersham County Detention Center on a $3,400 bond.
