A bong and a blowtorch

UW-Eau Claire Police diverted a male subject on the 800 Block of W. MacArthur Avenue for possession of drug paraphernalia and issued a citation for an open intoxicant in a motorized vehicle Friday night.

At approximately 8:41 p.m., an officer was performing a random patrol eastbound on W. MacArthur Avenue when a car without exterior lights passed.

The officer pulled the vehicle over. The subject apologized and thanked the officer, explaining he forgot to activate his lights after leaving work. A clear glass water bong and a blowtorch were clearly visible on the rear driver’s side floor of the car.

When the officer asked about what was in the back seat, the subject immediately explained he was a “welder,” and that’s why he had a blowtorch. The officer then asked the subject about the bong, and asked him to retrieve it. The interior of the bong had a tan, waxy substance, which the officer identified as hash oil. The strong odor of marijuana emanated from it. The subject claimed he had not smoked since approximately 12 p.m. that day.

Given probable cause, the officer completed a search of the entire vehicle, finding an open bottle of vodka in the front seat. Explaining he had purchased the bottle during his break at approximately 7:30 p.m., the subject said he had not drank any. His coworker had drank some after the shift, however.

In the front seat cupholder, there was another cup filled with ice and brown liquid that had the strong odor of intoxicating beverages. The subject consented to field sobriety tests, and performed adequately. Still, the officer issued a Preliminary Breath Test, and a result of .017 was obtained.

The officer did not arrest the subject for operating a vehicle under the influence, but disposed of the alcohol and drug paraphernalia and issued a citation for an open intoxicant in a motorized vehicle. The subject chose the diversion program for the drug charges.

‘Too much’

Campus police issued an underage alcohol consumption citation to a resident of Murray Hall Friday after being contacted for a possible detox situation Friday night.

At approximately 11:32 p.m., the Murray Hall Director contacted police because a male resident was highly intoxicated and “not making any sense.” When an officer arrived on the scene, the subject was not able to answer the hall director’s questions, and was “rambling incoherent sentences.”

The officer tried to ask how much alcohol he had consumed that night, and the subject repeatedly answered “too much,” and wouldn’t specify what he was drinking.

A Preliminary Breath Test was performed, and a .22 was obtained from a weak sample, as the subject was breathing into the tube rather than blowing.

After being thoroughly examined, the medic determined the subject did not need any medical assistance. The officer and medic left the subject with his roommate after issuing a first offense underage alcohol citation.