With midterms right around the corner, academic-induced stress is reaching its apex for plenty of students, often leading to a little bit of mid-semester relaxation.
Some prefer to lift the stress away at the gym, while others take to the uptown bars or turn to the familiar comfort of home for the weekend. But for one student, letting off steam on a piece of university property ended in arrest.
At approximately 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, an Ohio University Police Department officer, who had been responding to an unrelated case on East Green, heard “several loud noises” coming from the walking path behind Morton Hall.
Upon investigation, the officer discovered an intoxicated man kicking a university-owned trash can “several times causing it to overturn.” The officer arrested the individual for destruction of property, according to a police report.
The incident was one of two criminal mischief cases reported to OUPD during a fairly quiet week, which also yielded eight drug charges, three thefts, two alcohol charges and a report of vandalism.
Drunk and Dangerous
Just before stumbling upon the trash-can-kicking individual behind Morton Hall, officers responded to a call from a resident assistant in Gamertsfelder Hall in regard to a “belligerent male” causing a ruckus in the lobby.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered a man with red, bloodshot eyes and smelling strongly of an “intoxicating beverage." The individual in question, who officers observed to be unsteady on his feet and “unsure of his location,” was arrested and taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, according to the police report.
High Times
Though the alcohol reports for the week hit a record low for the fall semester with only two reported incidents, OUPD was busy dealing with drug offenses all across campus.
Overall, there were eight marijuana-related charges over the course of six days: four on South Green, two on West Green, one on East Green and one behind the OU Parking Services building, where both a student and a juvenile were charged with possession of marijuana paraphernalia, according to various police reports.
Sunday Surprise
While students enjoyed the afternoon sunshine on Sunday, one individual visiting campus returned to a university parking lot only to make an unlucky discovery — his driver’s side window had been smashed in.
Officers responded to discover a “large amount of broken glass” both on the ground and inside the vehicle. Upon further investigation, a “small piece” of concrete was located inside the vehicle, and determined to be the object used to inflict the damage, according to the police report.
The student, however, told police that he did not want the incident to be reported in the first place, and requested that “no further action” be taken in the case.
