By John Brown
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 21, 1997

Police Beat

A student thwarted the theft of his mountain bike Saturday after finding a man attempting to ride it away outside the Student Recreation Center, 1400 E. Sixth St.

The man was able to run away, but left his pack filled with tools, police reports stated.

The student told university police he came out of the Rec Center at 12:50 p.m. and saw the man near his bike putting his cable lock into his backpack.

When the student approached the man and asked what he was doing, he reportedly replied he "didn't do anything" and the bike was "like that" when he found it.

The student told police he then grabbed the man's shirt and said, "You're going to jail."

According to reports, the man started screaming, squirmed his way out of his gray shirt and ran toward Mansfeld Middle School, 1300 E. Sixth St.

The man left his back pack, which the student took home before calling police.

Inside the pack were several items including, bolt cutters, pliers, a wrench, a bike inner tube and a tire patch kit, reports stated.

Students have reported nine bicycle thefts since Oct. 11. Eight of those were secured with cable locks, reports stated.

University police arrested a Tucson man with outstanding warrants yesterday morning.

Police stopped Colby C. Valdenegro, 27, of the 1300 block of East Ninth Street, near East Broadway and North Fourth Avenue after discovering his warrants and expired tags on his vehicle, police reports stated.

When the officer told Valdenegro why he was stopped, he reportedly said, "This is fucking bullshit, you pulled me over because I'm Hispanic," reports stated. According to reports, the man then started getting out of the car while yelling, "I'm sick of this shit."

The officer told him to stay in the car, but a few moments later, he got back out and said, "Fuck it, take me in," reports stated.

He was booked into Pima County Jail on two warrants stemming from suspended license charges.

An ongoing feud between two employees apparently sparked a woman to enter a man's office and throw paper wads at him Thursday at the Gould-Simpson Building, 1040 E. Fourth St.

The man told university police he was in his office about 4:30 p.m. when the woman came in and started hitting him with paper wads while saying something to the effect of "this will teach you a lesson," police reports stated.

According to reports, the man told police the disagreement has been going on for a while and he is currently involved in a civil suit with the woman.

He told police he just wants her to leave him alone.

Police told the man the issue was a civil matter, but they would contact her and convey his wishes for him.

University police arrested an 18-year-old man on underage drinking charges Friday outside a Theta Tau fraternity party at 1030 N. Martin Ave.

Police cited and released Eric Sprinkle, 18, of East Catalina Highway, on minor in possession of alcohol charges.

Officers spotted Sprinkle urinating in the alley behind the house shortly after 10 p.m. prompting them to approach him, police reports stated.

According to reports, Sprinkle displayed poor balance, had alcohol on his breath and his hand had been stamped as being of age by the doorman at the party.

At first, Sprinkle denied drinking and told police the "odor" of alcohol was from being around other people who were drinking, reports stated.

He later admitted to having "one beer," reports stated.

A female vendor reported Thursday that her lunch cart was vandalized during the night outside the Nugent Building, 1212 E. University Blvd.

The woman told university police the "Dawg Daze" cart's beverage dispenser was damaged sometime between 4 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. the next morning, police reports stated.

According to reports, two tables and a trash can were also turned over.

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