Suicide cause in hotel death

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Officials recently determined that suicide was the cause the death of a Brazil man outside of a Cloverdale motel earlier this month.

Michael Woodall, 46, of Brazil, died at 6:35 a.m., Nov. 8, outside of the Days Inn Motel, 1031 N. Main St., Cloverdale.

On Wednesday, Putnam County Coroner Thomas Miller said his office, in conjunction with detectives from the Putnam County Sheriff's Dept., ruled the death a suicide.

Miller said toxicology reports, conducted in Indianapolis, determined that Woodall had ingested an overdose of prescription medication, before jumping off the motel balcony.

"At the time, we suspected he had fallen from the balcony (and took the overdose of prescription medication)," Miller said. "We had to wait on the toxicology report to come back before we could rule one way or the other."

Early reports of the incident stated that Woodall had fallen from a balcony at the motel, but Miller would not confirm that report at the time.

Officials from Cloverdale City Fire Dept., Operation Life, Putnam County Sheriff's Dept., and Cloverdale Police Dept. responded to the scene, where they discovered Woodall lying on pavement near the 60-room motel.

Upon arrival, officials discovered Woodall on the pavement breathing shallow. He later died at the scene.

Cloverdale Police Chief Charlie Hallam told the BannerGraphic officials wanted to rule out foul play from the beginning of the investigation.

"That was the biggest thing we wanted to clear first," Hallam said. "It was leaning (toward a suicide ruling). We kind of felt that way. But we wanted to rule everything out. We kind of wanted to rule out foul play right off the bat. We just wanted to make sure."

Miller said Woodall had been staying with a friend in Putnam County, but through unknown circumstances, the friend asked him to leave.

"He had been staying in the (motel) for a couple of days," Miller said.

Miller added Woodall's health might have triggered the incident.

"He had some significant health problems that were burdening him," Miller said.

"We knew he was going through some serious health issues," Hallam added.

Miller said there have been 8-10 suicides this year in Putnam County.

"It seems to me that we've had a higher than normal rate of suicides this year," he said.

To the best of his knowledge, Hallam said Woodall's death was the first ruled suicide in Cloverdale this year.

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