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Post-Game Party In Uptown Athens Could Bring Charges

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — At least one person may be facing criminal charges following a mass celebration in uptown Athens Saturday night.

Students on Court Street after OU's win in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Saturday, March 20
Students on Court Street after OU’s win in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Saturday, March 20 [Michael Wyrick]
Hundreds of students flooded Court Street after the upset win by Ohio University over the University of Virginia in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

The students for the most part were just enjoying something to celebrate after a year of lockdowns, although many were not wearing masks.

“I think it was almost a perfect storm of a lot of people that happened to be in the uptown area or close to the uptown area, and then the excitement of the big win, and it just grew and grew and grew,” said Athens Police Department Capt. Ralph Harvey.

But a few in the crowd got out of control. One reveler climbed a street lamp and caused some damage. Harvey said that person was detained and may now face misdemeanor or even felony charges.

Others climbed up on the hoods and roofs of parked cars. This resulted in multiple dents and a busted window in at least one vehicle. Other cars may have been damaged, but so far no other reports have been filed with police.

Harvey said police are combing through the many videos posted on social media as well as security camera footage to identify other culprits.

https://twitter.com/michaelbwyrick/status/1373449947908079619

Police will be out in greater numbers Monday night in uptown Athens just in case the OU men’s basketball team pulls off another upset win, this time against fifth-seeded Creighton University.

“We’ll see,” Harvey said. “I hope OU does well. I’m an OU grad myself, but I don’t want to see anybody get hurt or property damage or anything like that.”