Another weekend at college meant another surge in alcohol-related crimes around college campuses.
Indiana excise officers arrested 18 people on 20 charges this weekend in Muncie, nearly half the number arrested move-in weekend.
Sixteen of those arrested were charged with illegal possession of alcohol, one arrest was for possession of marijuana. The 18th arrest was for disorderly conduct, according to a release by Indiana Excise Officers.
Ball State was not the only university to see several arrests this weekend.
Indiana Excise Officers arrested 93 people on 129 charges in Bloomington, near Indiana University, over the weekend. Fifty-six arrests were for underage possession or consumption of alcohol, and 17 adults were arrested for providing alcohol to minors.
An Indiana University student died Saturday when she was taken off life support after sustaining injuries from a fall down a basement staircase, according the Associated Press.
Police said Rachael Fiege, 19, was found semi-unconscious around 1 and 2 a.m. Friday at an off-campus party and was moved to another room by friends and others who monitored her throughout the morning. Fiege was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital in critical condition Friday.
IU Police Interim Chief Laury Flint told the Herald-Times it was unclear whether alcohol was related, although it was available at the party.
Flint said Fiege’s friends were aware of Indiana’s “lifeline” law that allows underage persons to call 911 without fear of arrest if they think a friend needs help, particularly in incidents involving alcohol.
“The priority is to get medical care to those in need of it, regardless of the circumstances,” an Indiana Excise Police release said.
