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(DAILY_WILDCAT)

By Keith J. Allen
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 2, 1997

Seven arrested but police call post-game patrol 'successful'

The University of Arizona and Tucson police departments reported a total of seven arrests resulting from Monday night's championship celebration, although spokesmen from both departments called the evening a success.

"If you compare us to other cities, we were very successful," said Lt. Bill Richards, a TPD spokesman.

He said there were no shootings, stabbings, burning cars or major injuries during the celebrations throughout areas surrounding the UA campus.

The North Fourth Avenue area was the main focus for Tucson police Monday night.

TPD reported that people started throwing rocks and bottles at Tucson police officers and Pima County Sheriff's Office deputies after they tried to disperse a crowd of 250 to 300 people at Catalina Park, near Fourth Avenue and East Second Street, at about 1 a.m. yesterday.

Richards said police used pepper spray and tear gas to disperse the crowd and tried to control what they could.

One officer received a minor injury during the confrontation, Richards said. Several people also were injured in the incident, but police reported this was not a result of police action.

He said TPD made four felony and two misdemeanor arrests. The names of those arrested and the specific charges were not available from police yesterday.

A police car was tipped over on Fourth Avenue, but no items were taken from the car, Richards said. He said police declared the Fourth Avenue area an unlawful assembly at about 10:30 p.m.

Richards said the department started removing its officers from the North Fourth Avenue area at 2 a.m. and had left the area by 3:30 a.m.

"I'm disappointed with the students," he said.

"The majority of Tucsonans acted the way we thought they would."

Richards said the Wildcats winning the national championship may be a once in a lifetime thing, but it was unfortunate to take that and tarnish it by unruly actions.

Lt. Brian Seastone, a UAPD spokesman, said there were only a few minor incidents on campus and that nobody had been injured. He said that by 2 a.m., the partying was "pretty much a done thing."

"We had very excited fans that partied responsibly," Seastone said.

University police arrested Ronnie Santeyan, 23, of the 3000 block of East Third Street, on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and providing false information to law enforcement at about 11:50 p.m. near Taco Bell, 1818 E. Speedway Blvd., police reports stated.

Police reports stated that an officer saw Santeyan carrying a .44-caliber Magnum handgun in a nylon holster tucked into his pants but under his jacket. When police approached Santeyan, he said, "I have a gun," and put his hand above his head.

Santeyan told police he "cocked" the gun after someone in a car threw a bottle at him. Police reports stated a bullet was in the gun's chamber.

Santeyan was arrested on the false information charge after he gave police a fictitious name, police reports stated.

Deputy UAPD chief Harry Hueston II said university police called five universities that have handled such celebrations before in order to prepare for Monday night's crowds.

"This was the best crowd of them all," Hueston said. "We did not have any problems on campus."

Wildcat reporter Jason A. Vrtis contributed to this report.


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