Up in flames

Two subjects received a warning from campus police early Sunday morning for violating a University of Wisconsin fire safety ordinance.

At around 12:28 a.m. Sunday, an officer conducting random vehicle patrol was traveling southbound along the 100 block of Garfield Avenue.

At this time, the officer observed several subjects utilizing fire in what appeared to be “fire twirling” under the UW-Eau Claire footbridge. There appeared to be two different fire performers, followed by a group of people observing the performance.

Campus police advised the communication center he would check out the subjects, with another officer on route to assist.

Upon arrival, the officer made contact with several subjects. The subjects said they were part of a local group which regularly performed at local community events. One subject informed the officer she had a permit obtained through the city of Eau Claire.

The officer told the subject while she had a permit, the use of fire was prohibited on any University of Wisconsin property/land due to fire safety ordinance. Both subjects informed the officer they were unaware of this ordinance and typically practiced at Owen Park.

While speaking with both subjects, the officer detected a faint odor of marijuana.

Campus police asked both subjects if they had been using marijuana prior to the officer’s arrival; they stated they had not and did not have any marijuana on their persons.

According to the report, one subject said there had been several spectators watching them before and thought they may have been “using marijuana.”

The officer informed the subject he felt he was not being honest, as the odor of marijuana would have dissipated quickly in an open area, but both subjects again denied any marijuana usage or knowledge of the source.

Campus verbally warned both subjects for the violation, reiterating the use of fire was prohibited on any University of Wisconsin property. The two said they understood and the officer cleared the scene.

Searching for somewhere in the middle

Campus police issued a female student a first offense underage drinking citation early Sunday morning.

At around 1:17 a.m. on Nov. 6 an officer was performing active foot patrol on Putnam Drive, approaching Garfield Avenue, when she observed a female subject squatting down in the grass on the west side of Putnam Drive.

The officer observed the subject was squatting in a position which emulated a female urinating, just a foot off the roadway while people were walking on Garfield Avenue.

According to the report, as the officer approached, a female standing near the urinating subject motioned toward the female. The subject quickly stood up and began adjusting her pants.

The two female subjects then began walking toward Putnam Hall.

Campus police exited the squad car and requested to speak with the two females. The subjects immediately said they were coming from upper campus and were headed to Putnam Hall.

The officer asked the subject in question if she was going to the bathroom on the side of the road, to which she replied, “Yeah.” When asked if there was any reason the subject couldn’t have waited until she got back to Putnam Hall, the female said she “really had to pee.”

While speaking to the subjects, the officer detected the odor of intoxicants coming from their persons. Campus police asked the subject how much alcohol she had consumed that night and the subject stated, “Middle.”

Campus police asked the subject what that meant and she shrugged her shoulders and said she consumed a “medium” amount of alcohol.

The subject told campus police she had consumed mixed drinks and shots of vodka between 10 p.m. and midnight.

The officer told the female with the subject since he had only observed the one subject urinating, she was the one the officer wanted to speak with and the other female was free to leave if she wanted. The female told the officer she would wait for her friend.

Campus police explained to the subject in question that there was an ordinance prohibiting deposit of human waste. The female subject said she was not urinating and had just felt sick and lightheaded. Police asked the subject if she wanted medical attention, to which she denied.

According to the report, the subject submitted to a preliminary breath test and a result of .10 was obtained.

The officer conducted a records check on the subject and discovered she had no prior underage alcohol consumption offenses and proceeded to complete a first offense underage drinking citation for the subject.

Campus police provided the subject with an Eau Claire County alcohol offender pamphlet and explained it to her, answering her questions and issuing her the citation.