NEWS
Student turns self in after evading arrest, running on lake
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Also by Heather Quitos:
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by Heather Quitos
Monday, February 6, 2006
After the Dane County Sheriff's Office and the Madison Fire Department conducted a day-long search for University of Wisconsin student Justin Myers on Lake Monona, he turned himself in to Madison police Friday.
According to the police report, a Madison Police Sergeant on duty approached Myers around 2 a.m. on King Street early Friday morning after Myers allegedly threw pieces of concrete and wood into the street.
The sergeant tried to approach Myers in regards to his behavior, which caused a safety hazard.
But when approached, Myers would not cooperate with the officer and instead fled on foot toward the Monona Convention Center and then onto the thin ice of Lake Monona, the report stated.
Myers ran nearly 100 yards on the ice toward open water.
After unsuccessful attempts by the police to convince Myers to return to shore, the Madison Fire Department was called to bring in the suspect.
"We were called to Lake Monona for a water and ice-related rescue," Lori Wirth, Madison Fire Department Public Information Officer, said. "We looked but could not find anything."
Wirth added the Dane County Sheriff's Office continued the search with its airboat after the fire department could not find Myers.
"The fact that they continue the search did not mean that there was a suspicion of a body," she said. "It was purely a law enforcement equipment situation."
Despite the relatively warm weather, Wirth noted the ice was thick enough to hold Myers' weight.
"Our part was to see if we could find him," she said. "From the Lake Rescue perspective, if the police thought the individual had gone through the ice, the paramedics would go out and treat patients."
After the night search attempts failed to find a body, the Madison Police and Fire Departments continued searching during the day.
Around 5:30 p.m., Myers turned himself into police, according to the police report.
The student was uninjured but was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting and obstructing a peace officer, and then later released from the Dane County Jail, the police report stated.
Madison police and university officials did not return calls as of press time.
