UNIVERSITY AVENUE

Battery

A 19-year-old University of Wisconsin student and a 28-year-old Madison man were assaulted Saturday morning when the student tried to come between three men who were arguing, according to a Madison Police Department report.

One of the suspects grabbed the student and held him down while another began beating the 28-year-old man.

The student broke free and pulled the suspect off of the second victim. The victim was then taken to a hospital.

MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said most batteries take place on weekend nights and are heavily alcohol-influenced.

“Many batteries take place after midnight and bar time,” he said. “We have additional patrols on nights where we see the most problems, so we do everything we can to have a police presence.”

Still, he said, “that’s not going to stop” an intoxicated person from getting into a fight.

SOUTH PARK STREET

Overdose

Madison Police and Fire responded to a call Thursday from a convenience store on South Park Street after a young woman overdosed on heroin in the bathroom, an MPD report said.

When officers arrived, they found a syringe in the woman’s purse and other heroin paraphernalia in the bathroom trash.

Officers managed to revive her and take her to a hospital, where she received treatment, the report said.

DeSpain called heroin use a “public health crisis” and said addiction is an increasing problem.

“One major problem is with opiates being prescribed to people who get hooked and go on to use heroin,” he said. “The city is trying to help people who are addicted get off drugs. We’re still seeing heroin reports on a weekly basis.”

CURRY PARKWAY

Overdose

A 21-year-old man was found passed out and not breathing inside a Curry Parkway apartment Friday, an MPD report said.

Police arrived and performed chest compressions. Fire paramedics then arrived and administered Narcan, returning the man to consciousness.

He was taken to a local hospital and booked for possession of heroin and paraphernalia.

DeSpain said heroin use is largely concentrated in certain areas.

“There are certain corridors, particularly near interstates, where we’ve had considerably more heroin sales and heroin use,” he said.

He added the city is increasing its efforts to combat heroin use.

“At the urging of Police Chief [Noble] Wray, the county executive and the mayor have gotten a group together to address the use of heroin, opiates and narcotics,” he said.

VERONA ROAD

Drug Investigation

A citizen called the police Sunday to inform them of a drug deal in process on Verona Road, an MPD report said.

One of the suspects was found in possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia when officers responded and was taken into custody.

The other suspect refused to be questioned by the officers, got into his car and accelerated out of the lot. On his way, he ran over a police officer’s foot, the report said.

The car was later located and found to contain marijuana and an electric scale. Its owner was also found walking on a nearby road.

EAST TOWNE MALL

Retail Theft

A 15-year-old was arrested Sunday after an altercation with an East Towne security guard, an MPD report said.

The boy told the guard his father is a gang member and added that if the guard did not let him go without punishment, he would be killed, the report said.

Police were called, who then arrested the boy and his female accomplice. They were found to have stolen a BB pistol, a fixed blade knife, gloves and black neoprene face masks.