A $25,000 bond was set Wednesday for a New Vienna man who allegedly provided false statements to deputies investigating a reported death.
An affidavit filed with Hillsboro Municipal Court stated that the Highland County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Michael R. Simpson, 53, at 4:19 a.m. Tuesday stating that “a female … was unresponsive and dead in room 133” at the Greystone Motel.
The deceased was indentified as a Blanchester woman.
The deputy reported speaking with Simpson, who allegedly said that he and the deceased had met in Wilmington and then rented a room at the Greystone Motel between 11 p.m. and midnight.
Simpson allegedly told the deputy that he saw the woman on the floor when he woke up around 4 a.m.
According to the affidavit, Simpson then reported that “he check(ed) for he(r) pulse and got none.” The affidavit added that he then “raised (her) up in a sitting position” and “ran to the front desk and called 911.”
When asked if they used drugs, Simpson reportedly said that he did not, but that the woman used heroin, as stated in the affidavit.
The deputy reported that Simpson then spoke with the coroner, who later said that he was told Simpson and the woman were given a ride from Wilmington to the motel by a man in a van.
The managers of the motel then reportedly told the deputies that the woman rented the room around 6 p.m. and that she and Simpson arrived alone in a gray van. The affidavit added that a van “that looked similar to the car they arrived in” was in the motel’s parking lot.
According to the affidavit, the deputy again made contact with Simpson. At that time, he allegedly provided a name of a man who had given himself and the woman a ride and also described the vehicle as a maroon Ford van.
The deputy then “informed (Simpson) that there wasn’t a maroon van and (the other man) didn’t exist,” as stated in the affidavit.
The affidavit added that the deputy “also informed him that it was just him and … (the woman) in a grey van when they checked in.”
Simpson allegedly confirmed that. When the deputy then said that they had checked in around 6 p.m. and not between 11 p.m. and midnight, Simpson allegedly “stated that it could have been that time … but didn’t know.”
The deputy then reportedly asked Simpson for the location of the gray van. At that time, Simpson “then stated that he didn’t want to answer any more questions,” according to the affidavit. He was placed under arrest for second-degree misdemeanor obstructing official business and transported to the Highland County Justice Center.
Upon arrival, Simpson allegedly “again stated that he shouldn’t have lied about driving the van to the Greystone Motel” and that “he should have just left, but couldn’t leave her like that,” the affidavit stated.
On Wednesday, Simpson was arraigned in municipal court. If he posts his bond, he will be placed on electronic monitoring house arrest, court records show.
A pretrial is set for Oct. 16. While his case is pending, Simpson is to have no contact with the Greystone Motel, records added. He is prohibited from driving.
Reach Sarah Allen at 937-393-3456, ext. 1680, or on Twitter @SarahAllenHTG.
