As Homecoming revelers partied on in predictable, collegiate fashion, officers at the Ohio University Police Department found themselves responding to more than 30 calls throughout the course of the week.
While the Athens Police Department was busy handling uptown cases, such as one in which a juvenile was chased by an unknown suspect “screaming profanities” on East State Street, OUPD saw a considerable increase in crimes compared to last week.
Overall, the department documented 11 drug charges, four related to alcohol, 11 reports of theft, three instances of criminal mischief and a report of disorderly conduct by fighting.
Double-Crossed
At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, an OUPD officer was dispatched to Sargent Hall, where, according to the police report, a male was found “passed out” in the hallway. The individual, who awoke after “several attempts” by the officer, was discovered to be unsteady on his feet, having to lean against the wall in order to stand.
According to the report, the man also had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and the “odor of intoxicating beverage” emitting from his breath as he spoke to the officer.
Though it was already clear to the officer the individual was intoxicated, further investigation revealed he was also in possession of marijuana paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested for both drug and alcohol offenses, and transported to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.
South Green Heist
On Saturday afternoon, a number of residents who parked their cars on South Green lots were greeted with an unwelcome Homecoming weekend surprise. A string of four thefts, three of which were successful, were reported to OUPD over the course of six hours, all occurring on university-owned parking lots.
The first incident was reported at approximately 1:20 p.m., when an individual reported her car on Lot 133 had been broken into, and a number of her belongings stolen. An hour later, the department received a separate report from an individual whose backpack had been stolen from the same parking lot. According to the police report, however, the individual’s laptop was later recovered, and he didn't press charges.
About four hours later, officers received a report that an “unknown party” had gained access to a vehicle on South Green Lot 54. The report does not note any items as having been stolen, and classifies the incident as criminal mischief. An hour later, however, a visitor called in to report items stolen from a vehicle on Lot 93. Currently, all of the cases are listed as either inactive or closed.
Smoke on the Water
A few weeks ago, picnic tables were a hot spot for students to smoke marijuana. Last week, however, local “waterfronts” became popular spots for recreational users to light up a joint — and find themselves arrested doing so.
About midnight on Oct. 3, an officer on foot patrol near the Academic Research Center came into contact with an individual who was, “across the creek,” and allegedly in possession of marijuana, according to the police report. The individual in question was arrested and issued a misdemeanor charge for drug possession.
Across campus, two other officers patrolling South Green discovered another individual smoking marijuana at the Hocking River spillway near the intersection of South Green Drive and Rufus Street. The individual was arrested for possession of marijuana paraphernalia, according to the police report.
