University of Southern Indiana's student publication | USI | student newspaper

The Shield

University of Southern Indiana's student publication | USI | student newspaper

The Shield

University of Southern Indiana's student publication | USI | student newspaper

The Shield

USI student faces charges after party involving underage drinking

Three Evansville men, one of whom is a USI student, face charges after police say they held a house party involving underage drinking and marijuana on the 2400 block of West Franklin Street Friday night.

USI student Izaiah Anderson, 18, and former students Wesley Nickens, 23, and  Ziaire Anderson, 20, were preliminarily charged with maintaining a common nuisance, a Class D felony, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class A misdemeanor. All three were released on bond Sunday.

The Indiana State Excise Police arrested 25 minors, including five less than 18 years of age, on preliminary charges of illegal consumption at the party.

One person was also charged with false informing.

The Evansville Police Department received a complaint about the large party where people were causing a disturbance outside and contacted the excise police for assistance.

Officers found more than two dozen minors consumed alcohol, with some testing as high as .15 percent blood alcohol concentrate.

EPD also arrested three people on drug related charges.

According to the probable cause affidavit, officers discovered dozens of people hiding in rooms on the second floor of the house who refused to let the officers inside.

Officers also found several individuals hiding in closets and attic spaces.

In one of the bedrooms, officers found a multicolored glass bong with burnt residue that had a strong scent of marijuana.

Excise officers also preliminarily charged University Liquors on 4920 University Blvd. with two counts of allowing a minor to loiter, two counts of sale of alcohol to a minor,  failure to maintain employee permit records and having an unlicensed employee. Officers also arrested three minors on eleven charges after they left the store. The charges included illegal possession of alcohol, illegal transportation of alcohol, minor in a liquor store, possession of false ID, false statement of age, furnishing of alcohol to a minor and false informing.

Those arrested will appear in Vanderburgh Misdemeanor Court on later dates.