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Police Beat

By Audrey DeAnda
Arizona Daily Wildcat
June 16, 1999
Send comments to:
letters@wildcat.arizona.edu

Arizona Summer Wildcat

Police arrested a man Monday night after he threatened a clerk and customers at a campus-area convenience store.

Officers found James B. Fritts, 35, of the 2000 block of East Sixth Street, at the intersection of Sixth Street and North Martin Avenue.

When police confronted Fritts, he told them he bought a hot dog at Circle K, 1610 E. Sixth St., and had not said anything to anyone, reports stated.

Two female customers from the store then arrived to identify Fritts as the man making threats in the Circle K.

The females said they were in the store when Fritts turned to one of them and said, "That nigger a bitch. You better get out of here or I'll kill you," reports stated.

The women told officers they left the store because they were afraid and they wanted to press charges of threat and intimidation against him.

When police told Fritts he was under arrest, he told them they were "gonna die." Then he turned to one of the officers and told him he was "on the list."

Fritts repeatedly yelled racial slurs at the officers and told them that the "brothers were coming."

Fritts was booked into the Pima County Jail.


A campus food vendor called police Monday afternoon after her hot dog stand was robbed.

An unidentified man robbed the food cart in front of the Harvill Building, 1103 E. Second St., at 1:20 p.m., police reports stated.

The merchant told officers that a man reached over the counter and took her bank bag containing about $400 and then ran between the Harvill and Engineering Buildings.

Witnesses told police they noticed the man looking down at the stand from the upper floor of the Harvill Building.


Police arrested a woman Friday night on suspicion of drug possession after stopping her for a traffic violation.

Jessica Marie Picciririlli, 32, of the 900 block of North First Avenue was detained at North Sixth Street and East Euclid Avenue after officers spotted her expired car registration.

Picciririlli did not have insurance or a driver's license, and when officers searched her car, they discovered a small plastic bag containing what appeared to be marijuana, reports stated.

After officers placed her under arrest, they searched her purse. Police discovered a small black film canister apparently filled with marijuana, reports stated. During the search, Picciririlli told officers she also had a "pipe" in her purse.

Picciririlli told police the suspected marijuana belonged to her brother but she knew that it was in the car, reports stated.

Picciririlli was cited on suspicion of driving without a license, having expired registration, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released at the scene.


Police met with an International Service System custodial employee early Monday morning after an unknown man harassed him.

The employee told officers he was cleaning the floors in the Memorial Student Union, 1303 E. University Blvd., when a man and a woman, who appeared to be intoxicated, approached him.

The man yelled at the employee, saying he used to work for ISS and that he recognized him, reports stated. The employee told officers he looked familiar but could not remember his name.

The employee said the man got close to him and took an aggressive stance with his chest out and fists raised. The man then started pounding on his chest with his fists and complained to the employee that ISS did not pay well, reports stated.

The man then told the employee, "I'll kick your ass," reports stated.

A co-worker told the man to leave while the employee called university police. The employee told officers that the man and woman left the union through a north-side door and that he did not want to press charges.


A UA employee called university police early Monday morning after he discovered a pay phone ripped from the wall, police reports stated.

The custodian contacted officers after he discovered the broken US WEST pay phone on the second floor of the Psychology Building, 1503 E. University Blvd.

The phone was found on the floor with no apparent exterior damage, reports stated.

The employee told officers he was not sure how many people had access to the building during the weekend.


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