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October 3, 2008

State investigating assisted living facility

Kim Sloan

The manager of a Dalton assisted living facility on Reed Road who is charged with multiple counts of cruelty to a person 65 or older was released from jail Thursday night on a $50,000 bond. A state investigation is under way.

“If rule violations are identified during our investigation that warrants an adverse action, the penalty can range from $50 to $1,000 to revocation of the license to operate,” spokeswoman Edna Jackson with the Georgia Department of Human Resources said through an e-mail on Friday. “We won't know if there are rule violations until we complete the investigation.”

Pleasant Valley Assisted Living at 510 Reed Road remains open and the residents are not in danger, Jackson said.

Wayne Hardwick Dawn Jr., 37, was arrested Thursday afternoon by narcotics investigators with the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office and charged with six felony counts of cruelty to a person 65 or older; six misdemeanor counts of theft by taking; six misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct; three counts of felony possession of hydrocodone; one felony count of possession of darvocet; and two felony counts of possession of tramodol. He did not immediately return a phone message on Friday.

“Our investigation revealed (Dawn) had a substance abuse problem and had been stealing certain medications from the elderly residents to satisfy his own drug problem," said Sheriff Scott Chitwood. “We believe this had been happening for about a year.” The sheriff’s office was contacted on Sept. 12 by a concerned member of a family of a resident of the facility. An undercover investigation by deputies included audio and video surveillance.

None of the residents became ill, said Maj. John Gibson with the sheriff’s office. The facility is owned by Dawn’s wife but Dawn is the manager, Gibson said.

A search on the Georgia Secretary of State’s Web site did not show a listing for Pleasant Valley Assisted Living but did show “Pleasant Valley Retirement Inc.” at the same address. The CEO is listed as Tracy L. Dawn and the corporation was dissolved in November 2002. A phone number for Tracy Dawn could not be found.

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