2 WVU basketball players held in scuffle at PNC Park

[SteelCityMan786]

http://post-gazette.com/pg/08211/900273-100.stm

2 WVU basketball players held in scuffle at PNC Park
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Two members of the West Virginia University basketball team were awaiting arraignment this morning after an altercation last night with security officers at PNC Park.

Joe Mazzulla and Cam Thoroughman were arrested after a scuffle at the security station where they had been detained by off-duty police officers working during the Pirates game against the Colorado Rockies.

The two are charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and underage drinking.

Police had to call for backup because Mr. Mazzulla and Mr. Thoroughman, both 20, were refusing to provide identification as they argued with the officers, according to a complaint.

During the argument, Mr. Thoroughman claimed he was 17 years old. He later amended that to say he was 18. Police later found documents on him that showed he is 20, and that he is from Stout, Ohio.

Police said Mr. Thoroughman, a 6-foot, 7-inch forward on the Mountaineers team, reached across a counter toward an officer.

This led to at least two officers grabbing him as they demanded that he place his hands behind his back.

He continued to struggle with the officers after police used a burst of pepper spray to control him. Eventually officers dragged him to the floor, police said.

While Mr. Thoroughman was down, Mr. Mazzulla tried to intervene, pulling his teammate away from the officers, even throwing a punch at one of them before he, too, was subdued, according to officers.

Mr. Mazzulla, a 6-foot-2 point guard from Johnston, R.I., had no identification on his person, police said.

Police said the breath of both players smelled of alcohol.

No injuries were reported.

[RoethlisBURGHer]

All those quality students at West Virginia!