WESTMINSTER, Md. — Officers responding to a disorderly conduct call in Westminster must have felt a sense of déjà vu when they spotted 32-year-old Anthony Simon and a female companion at the corner of Kemper Avenue and Carroll Street.
“Officers arrived on scene and they recognized the couple from two previous deployments that had been handled earlier in the afternoon and into the evening,” said Capt. Scott Peter of the Westminster Police Department.
Despite being warned for a third time that he was violating the governor’s order to stay at home, Simon walked a few blocks down the street to the Jiffy Mart on Main Street where he sat down in defiance.
“Officers went to place him under arrest,” recounted Peter. “Mr. Simon then pulled away from them. A small tussle ensued. At the same time, he started saying he had the coronavirus.”
After a profanity-laced exchange and threatening to spit on the officers, police restrained the unruly suspect.
“Officers were able to determine Mr. Simon was being deceitful,” said Peter. “He was asymptomatic and doesn’t have the virus, but nonetheless, officers had to deal with that situation.”
A situation, which only grew more problematic for Simon when police later searched him for weapons or contraband.
“At the time of his arrest, he was found to be in possession of suspected heroin, suspected prescription pain killers, an opiate-based pain killer. He had a syringe and suspected marijuana also, which may have explained some of his behavior that evening,” added Peter.
Simon has now posted a $7,000 bond to gain his release from the Carroll County Detention Center.
