OPP credited for saving David Lee Roth’s life
Former Van Halen star suffers medical emergency in Ontario
By MONTE SONNENBERG, Sun Media
“We didn’t run anything on it because it’s something we come across everyday,” Plummer said. “We try to protect people’s privacy when it involves personal information.”
Const. Chris Thompson was one of the officers who helped. Thompson may not have known who Roth was, but he recognized immediately that there was something different about him.
“At the time, I wasn’t star struck,” Thompson said. “I was just trying to help him. The guy stuck out like a sore thumb. He was wearing a little silk scarf and flashy clothing – it’s not something you see in Oakland too often.”
Plummer said Roth has been seen in the Simcoe area in recent weeks. Plummer added that Roth’s appearance has changed since the rock band Van Halen exploded on the scene in the late 1970s.
Bob Boisclair of Erie Music in downtown Simcoe said he has also heard that Roth has been hanging around the Norfolk area. Boisclair said the talk suggests Roth is considering buying property in Port Dover.
Robert Bianchini of Scorpion Recording Studio in Port Dover has heard numerous reports of the famous and semi-famous eyeing land along the Norfolk shoreline, Port Dover in particular. Bianchini said it is conceivable Roth was in southern Ontario late last month because Van Halen played in Quebec City July 3 as part of that’s city’s 400th anniversary celebration.
Roth is the voice behind Van Halen’s most famous songs. These include Running With The Devil, Panama, The Cradle Will Rock, Jump, Jamie’s Crying and Hot For Teacher.
Depending on the source, Roth either quit Van Halen or was fired in 1985. His relationship with guitar player Eddie Van Halen has always been stormy. Roth enjoyed moderate success as a solo artist with covers of such tunes as Ice Cream Man and Just A Gigolo.
Roth was tapped to replace shock jock Howard Stern at New York City radio station K-Rock in 2005. The gig didn’t last. Soon after, Roth and Van Halen reconciled their differences and resumed making music together.
There was no reply to an e-mail from Roth’s publicist.