Another weekend at college means another surge in alcohol-related crimes around college campuses.
This weekend in Muncie, Indiana State Excise Police officers arrested 18 people on 20 charges, less than half the number arrested move-in weekend.
Seventeen of those arrested were charged with illegal possession of alcohol, while one arrest was for possession of marijuana. There also was a charge was for disorderly conduct, according to a release by excise.
Oliver Forrow, 19, of Muncie, was arrested for disorderly conduct Saturday. Prior to the charge, he was cited for illegal possession of alcohol. After a verbal warning for yelling obscenities in the middle of Linden Street, authorities said he was observed attempting to incite a fight and was taken to Delaware County Jail for disorderly conduct.
Ball State was not the only university to see several arrests this weekend.
In Bloomington, excise arrested 93 people on 129 charges near Indiana University over the weekend. Fifty-six people were arrested for underage possession or consumption of alcohol, and 17 adults were arrested for providing alcohol to minors.
Rachael Fiege, an IU freshman, died Saturday when she was taken off life support due to injuries from a fall down a basement staircase, according The Associated Press.
“This is a tragedy that breaks every heart in the IU community,” IU interim police chief Laury Flint said in a news release. “Our deepest sympathies go out to Rachael’s family and friends.”
Police said people found Fiege, 19, semi-conscious around 1 and 2 a.m. Friday at an off-campus party. After the fall, she was moved to another room by friends and others, who monitored her until 7:30 and 8 a.m. IU spokesman Mark Land told The Indianapolis Star that this was when her friends realized she appeared to not be breathing and called 911.
According to the AP, Flint said Fiege’s friends waited to call for emergency because they didn’t realize how badly she was hurt.
Fiege was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital in critical condition.
Flint said campus police are investigating Fiege’s death, although everything points to an accident.
She told the Herald-Times it was unclear whether alcohol was related to the incident, although it was available at the party. Toxicology tests are pending.
Flint said it seemed like Fiege’s friends were aware of Indiana’s lifeline law that allows underage people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they think a friend needs help, particularly in incidents involving alcohol.
According to the Indiana Lifeline Law website, the law provides immunity for public intoxication, minor possession, minor consumption and minor transportation offenses for a person who seeks medical assistance for someone, stays at the scene and cooperates with authorities. It also provides the immunity for a person who receives the medical assistance.
“The priority is to get medical care to those in need of it, regardless of the circumstances,” an excise release said about the program.
