Student at party arrested for obstruction of justice

A Weinberg senior was charged with obstruction of justice Friday after University Police arrived at an off-campus party, according to UP.

Police arrived at a house on the 1100 block of Garnett Place at 1:47 a.m. after receiving a call about a loud party. As the responding officer attempted to locate one of the leaseholders and clear people from the party, Joseph D. Ortiz blocked the officer and said, “I ain’t leaving my frat brothers to you,” at which time he was arrested, said Assistant University Police Chief Dan McAleer.

Ortiz denied the police version of events. He said he was at the party for about two hours and was not drinking when police arrived and asked people to leave. The music was turned off and nearly everyone in the house dispersed, leaving Ortiz, three other people and three police officers in the house, Ortiz said.

Ortiz said the officer asked if Ortiz lived in the house. After Ortiz said no, the officer asked him to leave.

“At that point my friend who lived there was upstairs getting his ID,” Ortiz said. “I said I’m going to stay here and make sure everything’s OK with my friend.”

Ortiz said he is considering filing a citizen’s complaint against the arresting officer.