OSU Police arrested a 29-year-old man early Thursday morning after he attempted to cut the lock off a bicycle and sprayed mace on a student safety patrolman near Morrill Tower, authorities said.
Nicholas Fogg was in custody Thursday morning and has been charged with robbery and possessing criminal tools. He has no affiliation to the university.
The patrolman was making his rounds at about 1 a.m. when he noticed a man acting suspiciously near a black bicycle. He asked the man if he needed any help and noticed the man had a pair of lock cutters.
OSU Police Chief Paul Denton told The Lantern the suspect yelled, “Try to catch me” to the patrolman and sprayed him with mace.
The man ran toward the Drake Performance and Event Center, jumped into the Olentangy River and swam across, according to the police report.
Officers from OSU Police and Columbus Police were waiting on the other side of the river with search dogs and portable lights. Police found the suspect hiding in the dense weeds of the riverbank.
Denton praised the efforts of all involved parties in apprehending the suspect, saying it was a display of “great work by student safety” and “outstanding police work.”
