By Bryon Wells
Arizona Daily Wildcat
March 23, 1998

Police Beat

A Tucson man was arrested on several charges March 12 after university police caught him showering at Bear Down Gym, 1428 E. University Blvd.

An officer was checking the gym at 8:48 a.m. because of past complaints of transients using the showers and about 35 past reports of locker break-ins, police reports stated.

The officer was leaving after asking two men using the showers if they were UA students, both of whom said yes, when another student ran up to him and said that one of the men was not a student and has caused problems in the locker room before, reports stated.

The officer returned and confronted the man, later identified as Phillip E. Shosie, 37, of the 1100 block of West District Street, and said, "I thought you said you were a student?" reports stated.

Shosie told the officer that he was a student two years ago, and that he was using the Bear Down showers because he liked the facilities, reports stated.

A check indicated Shosie had warrants for failure to appear in court on criminal trespassing and alcohol charges, and he was arrested on an additional charge of false reporting to law enforcement agencies, reports stated.

At university police headquarters, Shosie told the arresting officer he was going to get him when he got out of jail, and that he "has kicked two cops' asses before," reports stated.

The officer asked what he meant and Shosie told him, "You'll see, you punk asshole," reports stated.

Shosie was taken to Pima County Jail, where he was released to Pre-Trial Services after being warned not to return to the University of Arizona.

University police detained a man March 13 after employees accused him of taking two jackets from Campus Athletics, 936 E. University Blvd.

At 8:52 p.m., police responded to reports of a man being chased by two of the store's employees after allegedly stealing the jackets, police reports stated.

Police spotted the man, who was carrying a jacket and being followed by two men, near the Gould-Simpson Building, 1040 E. Fourth St. The two men were yelling and pointing at the other man, reports stated.

The man stopped and told police, "It was me - It was me. I took them, I have to feed my babies," reports stated.

The man added that he took the jackets and ran out of the store with his wife as employees told him to drop the jackets or "get his ass kicked," reports stated.

The man was released into the custody of Tucson police officers.

A man known to police as a registered sex offender was arrested on multiple charges March 13 after a university police detective saw him leaving the UA Associated Students Bookstore, 1209 E. University Blvd.

As the detective entered the building about 2 p.m., he recognized Jose E. Colon, 42, of the 3200 block of South Mann Street, from a 1997 arrest for public sexual indecency, police reports stated.

The detective called to Colon by his first name and asked how he was doing and if he had identification on him, reports stated.

Colon told the detective that he was still having problems and did not have his ID with him, and that he was at the bookstore buying some pencils for work, reports stated.

When asked to step outside, Colon tried to run away but was too slow to evade the detective's grasp, reports stated.

He tried to break free again as the detective called for backup and a background check, which indicated Colon had an active warrant from university police and three warrants from the Tucson Police Department for shoplifting and traffic offenses.

Colon was arrested for the warrants, as well as additional charges of failing to update his sex offender registration and false reporting to law enforcement agencies after the detective found that an address given to him by Colon was false and that Colon's actual address was not recorded with the sex offenders registration office.

Colon was released from university police headquarters after the detective gave him the forms to update his address and brochures on where to get counseling for his problems, reports stated.

Police Beat is compiled from official University of Arizona Police Department reports.