Springfield man charged in Upper Valley Mall store robbery

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A Springfield man is accused of grabbing a store clerk at the Upper Valley Mall and drawing his hand back to assault the store employee while stealing.

Ronald Compton, 36, is charged in Clark County Municipal Court with robbery. He has not pleaded in the case and an arraignment hearing this week was continued.

German Twp. police began their investigation on May 31 when an off duty officer saw Compton running out of the mall, an affidavit written by a German Twp. police officer says.

The affidavit was filed with the charge in Clark County Municipal Court.

“I asked Ronald what occurred,” the affidavit says. “He stated nothing. The employee accused him of stealing but he didn’t steal. He then stated he fell at one of the stores but he didn’t remember which store and that his head hurt and he could feel a lump. I asked if he wanted medical attention and he said ‘no’.”

The officer said police interviewed a store employee and a customer who said Compton left GNC with a box of Nugenix Pine Bark valued at $24.99.

“(The store clerk) confronted Ronald, telling him to put the product back,” the affidavit says. “Ronald then stepped in (the store clerk’s) face and grabbed (his) shirt and tried to punch him.”

The police said the store clerk acted in self-defense and blocked the punch, causing Compton to fall.

“I then asked Ronald again where he fell,” the affidavit says. “He then stated that he and the (clerk) were arguing and that (the clerk) grabbed him and he fell back. I asked him if that is where he hit his head and why did his story change. He then stated he doesn’t remember where he fell and that he wasn’t lying and that he didn’t steal anything.”

Compton was arrested and transported to the Clark County Jail.

About the Author