First documented case of bath salts use in county investigated

COLDSPRING -- The first documented case of bath salts usage along with synthetic marijuana ended with the arrest of two San Jacinto County residents. At approximately 1:30 a.m. Friday, San Jacinto County deputies were dispatched to a residence in Cedar Valley after receiving several calls regarding a male identified as Patrick Morley, 29, covered in blood yelling that he and his girlfriend, Jessica Vernon, 24, were smoking bath salts when suddenly he was attacked by several unknown men inside his home. According to the San Jacinto County Sheriff ’s D e p a r t - m e n t , M o r l e y j u m p e d from his bedroom window after firing shots into the floor of his home and fled to a nearby residence where he picked up a chair and threw it through the glass front door of the residence. Morley ran into the homeowner’s bedroom yelling that he had been shot and that people were trying to kill him. This was all linked to the effects caused by the bath salts. Morley called 911 from the residence he had entered, with the frightened homeowner looking on. EMS arrived on scene and transported Morley to the hospital due to the severity of the cuts on his arms and legs from glass. Deputies arrived at Morley’s home to check on the girlfriend and two small children. Everyone was found safe, but deputies located bath salts and paraphernalia in other parts of the residence. San Jacinto County Child Protective Services was called to the scene and removed the children ages 3 and 4, and took Jessica Vernon into custody. A high-point semi-automatic firearm was located in the back yard of the residence. Morley has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, two counts of child endangerment, one count of felony criminal mischief. Vernon has been charged with possession of a controlled substance and two c o u n t s of child e n d a n - g e r - ment. S h e riff James Walters w a r n s that bath salts and synthetic marijuana are both illegal to possess in the State of Texas. “The effects of these drugs can be deadly as recently seen in Miami, Florida with the fatal shooting of Rudy Eugene who was allegedly eating the face of Ronald Poppo in a vicious attack linked to bath salts. League City and Galveston County also had cases of bath salt abuse over the past weekend. Anyone found to be in possession of these or any other illegal narcotics will be arrested,” Walters said.