Ohio State Student Jailed, Under Suicide Watch
NBC 4
ATHENS, Tenn. - Ohio State student Hiroshi Hayashi is expected to appear before a Tennessee judge on Thursday, two days after police said he made up his story about his disappearance. Hayashi, 21, walked into an Athens, Tenn., police station on Tuesday, claiming he was abducted last week at an Ohio State campus parking lot.
He told police officers he managed to get to the police station after escaping his captors. Hayashi was taken to a hospital for observation, but while talking to police on Tuesday night, he admitted fabricating the story, NBC 4's Mike Bowersock reported.
Hayashi, a computer science major, was charged with filing a false police report.
Family and friends blanketed the Ohio State campus area, trying to find clues to Hayashi's whereabouts, NBC 4's Kyle Anderson reported.
He left his car and took a Greyhound bus to Tennessee and had no idea that there was an enormous effort to bring him back home safely, Anderson reported.
Police said Hayashi withdrew $200 from his bank sometime before last Thursday.
"He said that he parked his car in the parking lot at OSU, got a cab to the local Greyhound bus station and got a bus from there under an alias name," said Athens police Detective Scott Webb.
Hayashi spent Thursday night at a London, Ky., Econo Lodge under a different name. He awakened Friday and boarded another Greyhound bus to Athens, Tenn., Bowersock reported.
Sometime on Saturday, police said, Hayashi attempted to either kill or injure himself with a boxcutter. He cut the right side of his neck, according to police.
"He did say he failed at one point," Webb said. "I think that's how he broke his glasses, but the wound on his neck was self-inflicted."
Hayashi then spent Sunday night in the street, Bowersock reported.
"He was at several restaurants in the area," Webb said.
On Monday, police said, Hayashi went to the Athens police station and asked them for a voucher for a hotel room. Police were not sure what Hayashi was talking about and asked him about his neck. Police said Hayashi told them he was involved in a fight and walked away from the station.
Hayashi slept in a booth at an Athens Waffle House, near Interstate 75, on Monday night.
"When we came in at 6 a.m. (Tuesday), he was laying with his head down, on the booth, sleeping," said Missy Evans, a waitress. "One of the girls walked by and said something about it not being a motel here. A few minutes later, he got up and went to the bathroom, came back and sat in the first seat for a few minutes and then he mentioned he wanted a bite to eat. We got him a waffle and some water and he ate that."
Police said Hayashi left the restaurant about an hour later and walked to the police station, and told them that someone in Columbus had abducted him, Bowersock reported.
Hayashi was later examined at a hospital and, when questioned by police, said, "I want to tell the truth," at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Bowersock reported.
Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, which was involved in Hayashi's search, said Hayashi apologized after he admitted changing his story.
"He feels very bad for what's going on," said Kevin Miles of Crime Stoppers. "He did something that was not the norm. He had a breakdown that he planned not to come back ever again."
Hayashi was under suicide watch at the jail and his family was traveling to Tennessee to see him, Bowersock reported.
A $7,000 reward was being offered for information leading to Hayashi's whereabouts.
"I am just as confused as anyone right now,'" said Tomohide Hayashi, Hiroshi's father, after he learned the news of his son's fabricated story.
Earlier in the day, family members expressed joy and relief upon hearing Hiroshi Hayashi was found safe.
Stay with NBC 4 and nbc4i.com for continuing coverage.
© 2006 MSNBC.com
URL:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12832946/from/ET/