Rutherford County man faces drug charges, possibly related to fatal overdose investigation

A La Vergne man suspected of distributing cocaine and fentanyl in South Nashville has been arrested and is now facing multiple drug charges. Joshua Hardaway, 30, of Howard Woody Drive, is being held at the Davidson County Detention Center on seven counts of drug distribution. He is also under investigation in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose in Coffee County.

Law enforcement agencies in Middle Tennessee, including the Metro Nashville Police Department's Specialized Investigations Division, La Vergne Police Department, Tullahoma Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, have been monitoring Hardaway's activities for several months as part of a broader investigation into fentanyl distribution in the area. A search of his home earlier this week turned up three guns and about five ounces of fentanyl. Additional charges related to these items are expected to be filed in Rutherford County.

Hardaway, who was injured in a suspected drug-related shooting on Edge O Lake Drive on August 5, 2024, has a prior conviction for assaulting police in Michigan. Based on his previous conviction, he is also charged with a felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm. At the scene of the August shooting, investigators found a .38-caliber revolver in his car.

The subject's recent arrest adds to a growing list of problems for Hardaway. In July, he was charged with resisting arrest in Rutherford County. Last year he was charged with evading arrest, reckless endangerment and reckless driving. A hearing is scheduled for November 1, 2024 in Rutherford County Court.

Anyone struggling with addiction or substance abuse is encouraged to seek help. The Community Overdose Response Team can be reached at 615-687-1701.

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