U-M police: Man caught urinating in public on campus had heroin and cocaine
Courtesy of U-M Police
A 42-year-old Ypsilanti man caught urinating in public near the Thayer Carport on University of Michigan's campus early Tuesday was also in possession of drugs, police said.
The man was arrested around 2:16 a.m. at 216 South Thayer Street after officers witnessed him urinating in an alley. Police initially placed him under arrest him for indecent exposure, but a subsequent search revealed he was in possession of suspected heroin, cocaine and marijuana, according to U-M police.
Investigators believe the drugs were packaged for sale.
The man was taken to the U-M police department, processed and released pending the authorization of a warrant by the prosecutor's office.
He could face drug charges, as well as a count of indecent exposure.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Jay Thomas
Thu, Aug 29, 2013 : 1:50 a.m.
Ypsi residents found loitering and urinating around the Diag in the wee hours seems common these days. If drugs are your business this is what happens I guess. I was told by other people here the last time it happened that it was harmless however.
Ypsi Russell
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 3:33 p.m.
When I'm on S. Thayer and need to *go* I always duck into the Bell Tower Hotel. They welcome the public, and don't discriminate. (There's even a courtesy phone.)
Paul
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:56 p.m.
Usually there is someplace you can use a bathroom.
arborani
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 3:54 p.m.
I commend the Tower for its courtesy, but you may have just started a stampede.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 3:23 p.m.
BWAHAHAAHAHAHA!!!! If only there was a dog park in downtown....
deadpidgeon
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 1:13 p.m.
Our police/prosecutor are out of control. Since when is urination "Indecent"? A guy with a small amount of drugs needs to pee and now, because the cops and/or Prosecutor need to inflate their arrest records and collect more in fines to support their activities, is facing charges as a sex offender and drug trafficker.
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 1:31 p.m.
@deadpidgeon: "Our police/prosecutor are out of control. Since when is urination "Indecent"? A guy with a small amount of drugs needs to pee and now, because the cops and/or Prosecutor need to inflate their arrest records and collect more in fines to support their activities, is facing charges as a sex offender and drug trafficker." Isn't it awesome! If the allegations are true, I'll bet some of the dealer's customers are really bummed that their heroin and coke connection is gone. If the allegations are true, the simple act of public urination resulted in a bust that took a major dealer of coke and heroin off the university campus and ann arbor streets. The cops should be congratulated. You say it is a small amount of drugs. How do you know that? Is there such a thing as a small amount of heroin packaged for sale? Usually these urination cases are handled as simple ticket because they don't want them clogging the courts. But when someone is suspected of other more serious crimes, they will often choose to charge the works and let the prosecutor and investigators sort it out. Also, we don't know the facts of this case. Maybe the guy *was* exposing himself. Public urination is one crime, but if you expose yourself while urinating, then it is indecent exposure. Someone walking down that alley at night should not need to be subjected to the stench of urine, and of public exposure.
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:57 p.m.
If you look at the google map of the location, the university property oddly extends up into the alley. That alley is also a popular short cut for many people. There are probably a bunch of cameras in that area. He really picked a bad place for his alleged "business". Though 2:16AM is probably a busy time to sell to post-bar customers. I expect and hope the Umich police are actively thwarting the expansion of the heroin trade among the students. But similarly, the gangs probably see the student market as very ripe - there are plenty of students, flush with cash.
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:40 p.m.
Heroin is a scurge that must be eradicated. It is often smoked or snorted - at least until they get so hooked that they need to shoot it (a *when* not *if*). A lot of young kids are getting on it, and it is being actively marketed to them by crime networks who import it. It's big business. It is gang business.
liekkio
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 6:50 p.m.
cinnabar, and how exactly does criminalizing drugs prevent this from happening? Heroin and many other substances ARE illegal now and have been for quite a while. People seek them out and die nevertheless. The difference is that there is a tremendous amount of money spent on the "war on drugs" and even bigger amount of money made by organized crime, so legalization is not going to happen any time soon. Too many people profit from the present state of affairs to let that happen.
cinnabar7071
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 6:36 p.m.
Justin I'm betting no one you care about has had to go through this horriffic addiction while you hopelessly watch them die.
Justin Altman
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 4:25 p.m.
Legalize it, and the gangs lose their revenue stream. Legalize it, and people won't be skulking around back alleys in the middle of the night trying to buy it or sell it. Legalize it and there would be no incentive to peddle to the young. Legalize it, and people who find themselves in danger of addiction won't be afraid to seek help. Legalize it, and let the true facts about the drugs be disseminated far and wide. Legalize it, and remove the taboo-based-demand for the young.
Homeland Conspiracy
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 2:58 p.m.
WE need an edit button!!!! http://www.naturalnews.com/034289_Afghanistan_opium_trade.html
Homeland Conspiracy
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 2:56 p.m.
Afghanistan is, by far, the largest grower and exporter of opium in the world today, cultivating a 92 percent market share of the global opium trade. But what may shock many is the fact that the US military has been specifically tasked with guarding Afghan poppy fields, from which opium is derived, in order to protect this multibillion dollar industry that enriches Wall Street, the CIA, MI6, and various other groups that profit big time from this illicit drug trade scheme. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034289_Afghanistan_opium_trade.html#ixzz2dHAbgHtt
Sooze
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:39 p.m.
Where is someone supposed to pee in this town without public bathrooms? Have to buy some food first to be allowed to use the one for customers only. I realize someone has to keep public bathrooms clean but is the alternative to have no place to go? Perhaps some out-of-work people could be hired cheap, or those convicted of peeing in public could do the clean-up detail for free.
Jay Thomas
Thu, Aug 29, 2013 : 1:52 a.m.
If you are selling drugs how about nowhere? This happened at 2 AM. Should some business stay open to accommodate such people?
Paul
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:51 p.m.
Sex in outhouses--sounds disgusting but I would not put it past some folks. Port o johns maybe should be available more but who's going to pay for it, not our government, got save $ for tax cuts and more military strikes overseas-that comes first it seems.
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.
I agree that public bathrooms are very important. But then there is the real problem of people using them to shoot heroin, and do drug deals. Some might scoff at that aspect to the problem, but I need only point to this story.
rs
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:11 p.m.
Dumb - Urinating in public Dumber - Urinating in public in front of police Dumbest - Urinating in public in front of police while carrying narcotics
Ricebrnr
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 10:21 p.m.
Funny dumbest criminal story....priceless
vida
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:04 p.m.
I believe public urination is booked as a sexual offense.
Paul
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:48 p.m.
Just whipping it out in public should be a sexual offense. (oh, I was just reliving myself-yeah right)
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:35 p.m.
Depends on the circumstance, and whether there is exposure. A couple of my pee-brained friends left Ashley's and immediately rounded the corner and tried to urinate in Nichol's arcade. They were quickly busted by passing cops. It was hilarious. It was an 'admit guilt, pay ticket, don't do anything for 12 mos and it goes off record' deal. I think they both managed to keep it in their pants while in public for a year. That was 6 or 7 years ago. Of course the cops didn't find a cornucopia of alleged drugs on them, which probably changes everything.
Elaine F. Owsley
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:11 a.m.
"and released"!! Can't they hold him for 24 hours or something? It seems a waste of officer time to have to go round these people up again when they already have them in custody. It would seem if he was observed by the police, getting a warrant would be a quick and easy process.
Jay Thomas
Thu, Aug 29, 2013 : 1:53 a.m.
Everything is a slap on the wrist/plea bargain arrangement these days. Almost no one has a trial.
grye
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 3:05 a.m.
Public urination happens all the time. When someone has to go and a public restroom is unavailable,why can't a discreet location be used? Golfers do it all the time. Campers and hikers do it all the time. Animal, domestic and wild, do it all the time. However, standing on the street corner in a full drunken stupor while relieving yourself should be ticketable.
Paul
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:46 p.m.
It wasn't discreet if officers seen him peeing now is it ? Ann Arbor isn't a rural area but a city with lots of people around. I don't want to smell your mess. What if everybody had the same attitude. This is why we sadly need the police .
Tru2Blu76
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:46 a.m.
Urinating in public while carrying three different illegal drugs... now there's a puzzler for ya.
jpala21
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:17 a.m.
When you gotta go, you gotta go!
An Arborigine
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:37 a.m.
He could very well be urinating with an audience for some time to come. Drug testing, that is.
chucklk
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:36 a.m.
when you have a going and growing problem, what are you supposed to do? pee in your pants? thanks a lot a2 police. i was once at the deli on s. university buying a sandwich and they said bathroom was for employees only. had to go out back. nice.
Ignatz
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:30 p.m.
Bug, They ripped off my concept!
Lightnin' Bug
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:25 p.m.
Ignatz - are you kidding me? You haven't seen the giant urinal in front of city hall?
Ignatz
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:24 a.m.
This is an excellent point. When the city remodeled the parking structures, they eliminated the public rest rooms. What kind of city doesn't provide facilities needed for human functions? Do they think private businesses should provide the service gratis? Maybe any new art can incorporate plumbing.
jpala21
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 11:16 a.m.
I sure have marked my territory all over Ann Arbor.
John
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 2:16 a.m.
I'm quite certain you are the only person to have ever done this in A2, it being a fine upstanding college town and all.
This Post Doesn't Have A Name
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:16 a.m.
"Investigators believe the drugs were packaged for sale." How do the investigators know that he didn't just purchase them himself? Maybe he said something to tip them off otherwise.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Aug 29, 2013 : 2:42 a.m.
I'm going to go with it having a UPC bar code and a tag that said something like "Skippys Drug Emporium". Something like that. Either that or maybe this isn't the cops first rodeo. Waddya think?
Jack Gladney
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 12:03 p.m.
Pro Tip: When carrying your medical cocaine, medical heroin and medical marijuana be sure it is marked, "Not packaged for resale." Saves a lot of hassle, especially if you're headed out for some public urination.
SEC Fan
Wed, Aug 28, 2013 : 2:18 a.m.
probably due to quantity (although they don't state how much was found)...