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Suspect to stand trial in Washington man’s fatal overdose

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A Homestead man accused of selling fentanyl disguised as prescription pain pills to a man who later overdosed and died inside a Washington residence in September 2020 was ordered to stand trial on charges that he delivered the fatal drugs.

Calvin Domingo Ortiz was arrested last month, nearly two years after the fatal overdose of 32-year-old Bradley Remerowski inside his Victoria Street apartment.

Washington police originally charged another man, Duane Berry Jr., 30, of Carnegie, after investigators found Remerowski had communicated with him hours leading up to his death on Sept. 29, 2020. However, Berry told investigators that he merely facilitated the drug deal between Ortiz and Remerowski, and that he never was with them when the exchange occurred.

Berry, who is still facing conspiracy charges for drug delivery resulting in death in the case, testified at Ortiz’s preliminary hearing Friday in Washington County Central Court that he had been friends with Remerowski while the two were at a drug treatment house in 2018. Berry said he bought what he thought was a Percocet pain relief pill from Ortiz in early September 2020, but he overdosed minutes after taking the drug. A friend he was with used naloxone on him and he had to be hospitalized, where it was found that he had a high-level of fentanyl in his system.

About three weeks later, Remerowski messaged Berry and hinted that he knew someone who wanted pain killers or Suboxone, so Berry contacted Ortiz, according to his testimony. Berry served as the intermediary between the two men, he testified, and Remerowski agreed to purchase six pills of Percocet “for a friend” for $350 if Ortiz drove to Washington to deliver the drugs.

But Berry had reservations and warned Remerowski that whoever used the pills should be careful.

“Tell your boy to be careful with those bro (for real),” Berry testified while reading text messages between him and Remerowski. “I had my first OD on that three weeks ago.”

Remerowski indicated he thought the pills were fake, but Berry said he thought they were probably Percocet because of the higher price. Berry added that he thought the 30-milligram dosage was strong, so he urged him to be cautious.

“These look (fake). Are these fentanyl?” Remerowski asked before sending one final message to Berry. “I don’t want no one to die, that’s all.”

Remerowski was found dead in his apartment the following morning by a colleague who went to pick him up for work, Washington police Chief Dan Rush testified. While the initial investigation centered on Berry, who went to drug rehabilitation for four months after Remerowski’s death, he pinned the blame on Ortiz.

Rush said that while investigators were initially skeptical, they were able to gather records from the cellular phones of Remerowski, Berry and Ortiz to see the messages and locations on Sept. 29. Rush said cell records for Ortiz showed he was in Washington at the time Remerowski bought the drugs and then later went to Carnegie, where he allegedly gave one pill to Berry for coordinating the deal. Berry testified he crushed that pill up and ingested it over three hours, but fell asleep numerous times because it was so potent.

Berry said he willingly spoke to investigators after his arrest last September because he was upset about what happened to his friend, and that he hasn’t been made any promises by prosecutors for preferential treatment in his case. He’s been free on $100,000 bond since that time and said he’s not used drugs after leaving rehabilitation before that.

“Cause Brad was my friend,” Berry said about why he told police about Ortiz. “It’s the truth and it’s been affecting me ever since.”

Rush said police found five other pills in Remerowski’s apartment, which tested positive for fentanyl. An autopsy showed Remerowski died of fentanyl toxicity, Washington County Coroner Timothy Warco testified.

Ortiz, 23, was arrested last month on conspiracy charges of drug delivery resulting in death, possession with intent to deliver and criminal use of a communication facility. After listening to testimony for nearly three hours, District Judge Kelly Stewart ordered Ortiz to stand trial on all charges. He is being held without bond at the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh.

Berry is scheduled for plea court Dec. 20 before Judge Valarie Costanzo, according to online court records.

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