Middle-of-the-Road Yelling Leads to Felony Arrest

A 24-year-old Kent man was arrested in the middle of South Water Street early Saturday morning after repeatedly yelling at officers who were in the area investigating a complaint about a different disorderly male.

Johnathan A. Simpson of 5791 Glad Blvd. was arrested at 2:33 a.m. Saturday in the 100 block of South Water and charged with obstructing official business, a fifth-degree felony; disorderly conduct, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, and resisting arrest, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Kent Police Lt. Paul Canfield said officers responded to a report of a disorderly male near . While investigating the incident, which involved an intoxicated male, “Mr. Simpson walked by the officers and told them in so many words to get out of the way.”

Simpson continued walking, Canfield said, “but yelled a few more things at the officers and eventually he moved into the middle of the street. His friends tried to tell him to get into a cab there … but he stood in the middle of the street and continued to yell to the officers.”

The officers stopped investigating the event that originally brought them there and moved to the middle of South Water Street. Canfield said officers warned Simpson he could be arrested for disorderly conduct.

“He continued to yell,” Canfield said. “When they told him he was under arrest, he refused to comply with their orders and he resisted his own arrest.”

Simpson was processed and jailed at the Kent Police Department, then arraigned Monday morning in Kent Municipal Court. He was released on 10 percent of a $10,000 bond. Portage County Court online records show Simpson’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday in Judge Barbara Oswick’s courtroom.

The Suffolk, VA, native told police he is a student at .