PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a 20-year-old spring breaker from Ohio is accused of tampering with evidence after his roommate died of an apparent drug overdose in a Panama City Beach hotel room.
The News Herald reports Cody Michael Halka of Toledo, Ohio, was arrested Tuesday. Police officers arrived at the Days Inn located at 12818 Front Beach Rd. and found two security guards performing CPR on 23-year-old Robert Paul Steel.
Steel, of Oregon, Ohio, died a short time later.
Police say Halka tossed narcotics over the hotel room's balcony to conceal them from officers.
Authorities say they don't suspect foul play in Steel's death.
Halka told officers he and Steel had been drinking with most of Monday. He says he called the hotel's security after finding Steel unresponsive in the bathroom.
It's not known whether Halka has hired an attorney.
