Spring Break
A night out on the town
Marissa Lang
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: News
Bob Ryan, the director of public services for the city of College Park, stands outside city hall at midnight on Halloween, waiting.
Earlier in the week, Ryan said the drinking age should be lowered to 18. He said allowing college students to drink in a legal environment would mitigate many of the unsafe practices found at house parties. He invited anyone to see the parties for themselves and ride along with him on Halloween. No one showed up.
"I'd love to have [university] President [Dan] Mote and [vice president for student affairs] Dr. [Linda] Clement come down with me during the first couple weeks of school," Ryan said.
12:21 a.m. - Corner of Calvert Road and Hopkins Road
A drunken fight breaks out as four police officers and two city code enforcement officers approach a mid-sized house with costume-clad students running about.
The police pull the two young men away from each other. One has blood trickling from his nose as the police try to calm him down. He storms off into the night, still bleeding, as the police start to shut down the party.
The fight, apparently sparked by a dispute over a girl, is not uncommon for big nights, Ryan said.
12:32 a.m. - BERWYN ROAD AND 48TH AVENUE
Doors slam, windows darken and students scatter as Prince George's County Police pull up to a house nearly obscured by more than 20 cars in the street and driveway. A student leans against the side of the house, throwing up, with a red plastic cup in hand. Around the back of the house, a student tries to flee by jumping out a second floor window, only to fall at the feet of the police. He is given a warning and told to go back inside.
"You need to take care of him," Cpl. Andrea Dube told residents. "He can't go home alone."
A refrigerator was found leaning against the back door, blocking the exit and creating a fire hazard. Ryan said in a college environment, standard safety procedures are often overlooked at parties.
Earlier in the week, Ryan said the drinking age should be lowered to 18. He said allowing college students to drink in a legal environment would mitigate many of the unsafe practices found at house parties. He invited anyone to see the parties for themselves and ride along with him on Halloween. No one showed up.
"I'd love to have [university] President [Dan] Mote and [vice president for student affairs] Dr. [Linda] Clement come down with me during the first couple weeks of school," Ryan said.
12:21 a.m. - Corner of Calvert Road and Hopkins Road
A drunken fight breaks out as four police officers and two city code enforcement officers approach a mid-sized house with costume-clad students running about.
The police pull the two young men away from each other. One has blood trickling from his nose as the police try to calm him down. He storms off into the night, still bleeding, as the police start to shut down the party.
The fight, apparently sparked by a dispute over a girl, is not uncommon for big nights, Ryan said.
12:32 a.m. - BERWYN ROAD AND 48TH AVENUE
Doors slam, windows darken and students scatter as Prince George's County Police pull up to a house nearly obscured by more than 20 cars in the street and driveway. A student leans against the side of the house, throwing up, with a red plastic cup in hand. Around the back of the house, a student tries to flee by jumping out a second floor window, only to fall at the feet of the police. He is given a warning and told to go back inside.
"You need to take care of him," Cpl. Andrea Dube told residents. "He can't go home alone."
A refrigerator was found leaning against the back door, blocking the exit and creating a fire hazard. Ryan said in a college environment, standard safety procedures are often overlooked at parties.
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