By Bryon Wells
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 8, 1998

Police Beat

University police arrested a man on drug and weapons charges Monday during a traffic stop near East Speedway Boulevard and North Mountain Avenue.

An officer was driving west on Speedway Boulevard approaching North Campbell Avenue at 11:03 p.m. when he spotted a man driving a red 1989 Jeep Comanche pickup truck ahead of him, going about 46 mph in a 35 mph zone, police reports stated.

The truck was burdened with an unspecified cargo that protruded about 6 feet to the right of the vehicle, blocking the driver's rear vision, reports stated.

The officer had to "straddle" the lane divider to the left of the vehicle with lights flashing before the driver finally stopped on Mountain Avenue, reports stated.

The driver identified himself as Brian A. Courtney, 24, of the 6900 block of North Galaxy Place.

While speaking to Courtney, the officer noticed a six-pack container of Samuel Adams beer with three empty bottles and three unopened on the passenger side floor, plus a half-smoked cigarette suspected to be marijuana laying on the console, reports stated.

Courtney told the officer he "had a few beers earlier," but hadn't been smoking marijuana, reports stated.

A search of the vehicle revealed an opened "switch-blade spring-operated fighting knife" stashed in the driver's side door pocket, reports stated.

When asked if he knew it was in the "ready" position, Courtney said he did, and that he carried it for protection because he had been assaulted, reports stated.

Courtney also told the officer he would give him stereo speakers if he let him go, reports stated.

Police warned Courtney about bribery and cited him on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of a concealed weapon in a means of transportation. Courtney was released at the scene.

University police arrested a UA student on a drunken driving charge Friday after stopping his vehicle for speeding on East Speedway Boulevard near North Treat Avenue.

An officer was driving east on Speedway at 12:50 a.m. when he was passed by a man driving a 1988 Jeep Wrangler, which then passed two other cars between two lanes of traffic, police reports stated.

The officer paced the vehicle's speed at about 58 mph before it turned left and stopped in a parking lot on Treat Avenue, reports stated.

The driver, later identified as William J. Austin, 21, of the 4100 block of East Linden Street, told police he had been at a downtown nightclub with his female passenger. When asked if he had been drinking, Austin said, "I had a few," reports stated.

The officer noticed Austin had a bottle of Captain Morgan's rum in his pocket, to which Austin said, "It's my friend's. I wanted it for later," reports stated.

Based on his performance on sobriety tests, the officer arrested Austin on a charge of DUI impaired to the slightest degree, and another officer took him to Tucson police headquarters for a breath test, where he told officers that his "millionaire father" and lawyer would "have our (the officers') asses in court," reports stated.

Due to Austin's belching and frequent coughing, the officer decided to take him to Kino Hospital, 2800 E. Ajo Way, for a blood test, reports stated.

While driving to university police headquarters after the blood test, Austin asked the officer if he could "bribe" him and told him that he "bet if his father gave me (the officer) $50,000, I (the officer) could loose the blood," reports stated.

Police released Austin to a taxi cab after warning him not to drive anymore that morning, reports stated. Police dispatchers later received a call from the cab company saying that Austin asked to be taken back to his vehicle and upon arrival, drove away, reports stated.

A student Monday reported that somebody had taken about 60 compact discs from his 1991 Ford Mustang while it was parked in the Main Gate Garage, 815 E. Second St.

The student told university police he parked his car about 3 a.m. Sunday and that when he returned at noon on Monday, he discovered someone had broken one of his windows, and he noticed his compact disc holder and CDs were missing, police reports stated.

Police found no fingerprints and noticed that whoever broke into the car damaged the student's $450 Pioneer stereo/CD player's face plate but was unable to take it, reports stated.

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