Student who taunted police officers cited for having beer at Winthrop Lake

A 22-year-old Winthrop University student narrowly missed a trip to jail Sunday afternoon after authorities say he was drinking alcohol in a restricted area, that he was rude to Campus Police officers, and that he told police he couldn’t be made to leave because he is paying tuition at the school.

Winthrop police wrote the student a $260 ticket, citing him for having open containers of beer at Winthrop Lake.

The lake recreational area is located away from the university’s main campus, near the Winthrop Coliseum and athletic facilities on Eden Terrace in Rock Hill.

The lake, walking loop, and associated recreational property is open to the public and students, but local and campus officials ban alcohol in the area. During some special events, such as Rock Hill’s annual Come-See-Me Festival, alcohol is regulated and permitted on site.

On Sunday, authorities say there was no special permit to warrant alcohol consumption at the lake. Officers say they were tipped off about possible drinking through a smart phone app called “Live Safe,” which allows students and others at the university to submit information to Campus Police.

When officers arrived, they found a group of nearly 20 students at the Winthrop Lake sand volleyball court, according to a police report. A nearby sign reads, “No alcoholic beverages allowed.”

Officers say one student took responsibility for the cooler of beer and that he was the only student there of legal age to drink. Other students successfully passed breathalyzer tests, according to police.

During the police investigation, officers say the 22-year-old student was “agitated” and “sarcastic.” When asked to pour out his beers, he agreed but then offered the drinks to the police officers, according to the report.

The student is accused of taunting the police officers and asking whether they knew how to work the breathalyzer test. Officers say he also “snatched” his driver’s license back from an officer’s hand after he was given a public display of beer ticket.

After an officer warned the student that “he was trying to work with him by issuing him a ticket and releasing him from the scene,” the student continued to be “boisterous” and said he couldn’t be made to leave “an area he was paying tuition for,” the report states.

As officers left the Winthrop Lake area, the student waved them away, the report states.

In addition to the ticket, officers say they’re referring the student to an on-campus judicial system due to violations of Winthrop’s student conduct code.

This story was originally published March 9, 2015 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Student who taunted police officers cited for having beer at Winthrop Lake."