By
Rachael Myer
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Reason for last week's mix-up still unknown
False arrests stemming from the UA diversion program mix-ups are rare, a university official said yesterday.
A University of Arizona student was falsely arrested last week but the cause is still unknown, said Veda Hunn, an associate dean of students.
Margie Stultz, a Spanish studies sophomore, was booked into Pima County jail Tuesday because she had not completed the UA diversion program. An arrest warrant can be sent nationwide by the Pima County Justice Courts for students who do not complete the program.
However, Stultz said she completed the program in February and received a copy of a letter from Hunn proving that she had.
"This is very rare but a very significant incident in this girl's life that had some negative impact," Hunn said.
About 200 to 250 students are involved with the UA diversion program a year - which has been in effect for 13 years, she said.
Stultz went to court yesterday for an unrelated traffic violation from last year and spoke to the judge handling the case. However, the judge didn't offer much help, she said.
"The judicial court says its the dean's fault and the dean says it the judicial court's fault," Stultz said. "So there's nothing I can really do."
She plans to seek help from a lawyer. Stultz is hopeful she will be reimbursed for the $192 she spent for bail and for the minor in possession charge that should have been cleared from her record.
Hunn said the letter that proved Stultz completed the program could have been lost in the mail or it could have gotten lost in the justice court.
