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Alpena man arrested in connection with 2018 overdose

ALPENA, Mich. — An Alpena man was arraigned on Monday in connection to a drug overdose that occurred in April of 2018. 42-year-old James Donald Hayes faces one charge of delivery of a controlled substance causing death, a felony that can carry a sentence of up to life in prison. He was also charged with one count of tampering with evidence in a criminal case, a felony punishable by more than ten years.

On April 13, 2018, Michigan State Police and EMS were called to Boone road in Alpena township where a woman was reported unconscious. Life-saving efforts were unsuccessful and 42-year–old April Brown was pronounced dead on the scene. Initial investigation suspected a drug overdose and this was confirmed following an autopsy.

Because it is an ongoing investigation, the exact drug could not be confirmed, but Lt. Derrick Carroll of the Michigan State Police did say schedule one narcotics were involved.

An arrest warrant went out for Hayes on Jan. 23 and he was arraigned on Monday at the 88th district court in Alpena. He’s currently being held at the Alpena County Jail on a $100,000 cash surety bond.