UD students accused of being drunk, damaging gas station

University of Dayton students on a chartered bus trip are accused of disorderly conduct at a gas station in Madison County over the weekend.

According to an incident report prepared by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, 80 students on two yellow school buses were interviewed by deputies Saturday evening after they were seen by witnesses and deputies running through the service station, urinating on the floor, breaking items and standing on parked cars. All the students were reportedly intoxicated.

Lt. John Swaney said no charges had been filed as of Tuesday evening, but all involved were informed that they may be summoned by prosecutors on charges of disorderly conduct by public intoxication and/or alcohol offenses involving underage persons.

Of the 80 male and female students identified in the report, at least 33 were under the age of 21. Some individual’s ages were not listed.

Four male students identified themselves as responsible for the group to deputies. According to Swaney, they reimbursed the business, the Lake Side Plaza Marathon station, for some items that were damaged including several broken wine bottles.

Teri Rizvi, UD spokeswoman, said the university is reviewing and investigating the incident that may have involved members of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

“Based on the initial report, the behaviors described are unacceptable, in violation of the student code of conduct, and will be dealt with swiftly,” she said.

The report states that the group was on their way from Columbus to Dayton when they stopped at the station, 3180 Old Columbus Rd. in London. It is located adjacent to the Choctaw Lake residential area and several callers alerted deputies to unruly activity taking place there around 5:25 p.m. The manager then informed deputies that she needed them to respond in reference to a physical altercation inside the store.

The sheriff’s office received two other calls about, “subjects standing outside of Lake Side Plaza showing genitals to passing vehicles,” the report states.

The responding deputy said he observed, “Countless subjects running in and out of the business, subjects standing on parked vehicles within the parking lot, and several subjects yelling obscenities at other customers within the business,” as well as five subjects attempting to climb up on top of fuel pumps.

The manager reported that she, “caught several subjects urinating outside and inside of the business on the floors and walls, and subjects flashing their genitals at other customers.”

“The male and female restrooms had urine all over the walls and floor, used condoms in the sink, and urine all over non-used toilet paper,” the report states. Glass bottles were also broken on the floor and open containers of alcohol were found inside the beer cooler.

A member who answered the door at the Sigma Chi fraternity house on campus Tuesday said he couldn’t comment. Employees at the gas station also declined to comment on the incident.

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