Ohio River bridge jump leads to woman 'stuffed' into car and murder arrest
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WCMH) -- A man who jumped off a bridge over the Ohio River led Portsmouth police to later find his mother fatally injured and to arrest him on a murder charge.
Officers went around 1:15 a.m. on Saturday to the Ohio River after getting reports that a man had jumped off of the U.S. Grant Bridge. When they got there, the man from New Boston, 61-year-old Michael R. Smith, was already out of the water.
An ambulance took Smith to an area medical center, and he later was taken to Grant Medical Center in Columbus to treat his injuries. During his stay, he told staff that his mother was in "bad shape" in a silver Cadillac at the Portsmouth Kroger, blocks away from the bridge. He added that she needed an ambulance, according to the Portsmouth Police Department.
When officers went to the Kroger, they found Smith's mother, 85-year-old Carol Sue Swymn, "stuffed" into the front floorboard of the Cadillac, according to the department. She had been injured in an apparent assault. A helicopter life-flighted her to Cabell Huntington Hospital in West Virginia, where she died from her injuries on Sunday morning.
Portsmouth police called in the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation for help, and the pair determined Smith had severely assaulted his mother, leading to her death. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest on a charge of murder.
Authorities took Smith into custody on Wednesday to be held in the Franklin County Jail. A hearing will determine if he should be transferred back to Scioto County for prosecution.
A previous version of this article discussed suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24/7. To reach the 24/7 Crisis Text Helpline, text 4HOPE to 741741.