By John Brown
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 24, 1997

Police Beat

University police responded to University Medical Center Friday after a report of a suicidal woman attempting to use a phony prescription to buy Percodan.

A UMC pharmacist told police he refused to fill the 37-year-old woman's prescription at the Family Practice Center, 1450 N. Cherry Ave.

When police arrived about 11:30 a.m., she told the officers she would rather shoot herself than go to jail, reports stated.

Police were able to calm her down and the woman voluntarily consented to therapy at UMC.

A student reported someone left a threatening message on his answering machine Saturday at Cochise Residence Hall, 1018 E. South Campus Drive.

The student told university police the message said, "You fucks, get the fuck out of my room or I'll kill you," reports stated.

According to reports, the student had received a similar message in August and has no idea who it might be.

University police arrested a student on multiple charges Monday after he reportedly harassed an officer and attempted several times to run away on the UA Mall.

Carey S. Steinberg, 18, of 822 E. Fifth St. was booked into Pima County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

At 7:13 p.m., police went to the Memorial Student Union, 1303 E. University Ave., after receiving a complaint of several skateboarders "hot dogging" and causing a disturbance by the front steps.

Police stopped two skaters west of the Student Union and told them to warn their friends not to do trick riding on school property.

Police went back to the Student Union where seven skaters had gathered and Steinberg reportedly sarcastically waved at the officer, reports stated.

While the officer talked to the skaters Steinberg continually interrupted him with antagonistic remarks, reports stated.

The officer then told Steinberg he was warning him for disorderly conduct.

Steinberg replied, "For skateboarding? All I was doing was skateboarding," reports stated.

He then told police, "I already know the rules, skate from point A to point B, stay out of the way of pedestrians and no 'hot dogging.'"

The officer then told Steinberg he was under arrest and asked for identification. He replied, "ID? What's ID?" reports stated.

According to reports, Steinberg then dropped his skateboard on to University Boulevard and started running north on the Mall.

The officer was able to catch up to Steinberg and push him down on to the grass and soon after handcuffed him, reports stated.

According to reports, a crowd had gathered around. A witness reported to police several of the skaters were yelling remarks like, "Let's get that stinking pig."

Steinberg made another attempt to get away while still in handcuffs and the officer held him on the ground until additional officers arrived and secured his legs with hobble restraints.

His skateboard was placed into evidence.

In a related incident, a student cyclist who was possibly distracted by Steinberg's arrest on the Mall Monday, was injured when he ran over his skateboard, which was in the middle of University Boulevard.

According to reports, the student was heading east about 7:35 p.m. when his bike hit the skateboard, which flipped up and hit him in the right shin.

Tucson Fire Department arrived and determined he had a contusion, but the student refused to be taken to a hospital. Medics advised him to put ice on it at home.

A student reported Monday that computer equipment was taken from his room at Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, 1050 N. Cherry Ave.

The student told university police his $2,500 laptop computer, $1,000 laser printer and $200 charger were taken from his unlocked second-story bedroom between midnight and noon.

According to reports, there were no signs of forced entry through the window and the student told police the door can only be secured with a bolt lock, which was unlocked.

The third floor of Graham-Greenlee Residence Hall was flooded Monday after a female student accidentally hit a sprinkler head with a baseball bat.

University police responded to the hall at 610 N. Highland Ave. about 5:15 p.m. to find the floor flooding in the student's room and down the hall.

Tucson Fire Department arrived and shut off the water and facilities management shut off power to the third floor.

The student's room was covered in water and seven other rooms had moderate flooding damage.

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