Created: 2/27/2007 2:29:22 PM 
Elon, NC -- From fights and rapes to hate crime allegations. Some area colleges have faced serious student image problems. Authorities point to a common thread: excessive drinking.
Recently, police in Elon took WFMY News 2 on an ride around town to get a firsthand look at the reality of what happens when students drink and don't think.
Elon police are trying to increase their presence. On a typical Friday night, the town and university each have about two officers on patrol. But they teamed up with Alcohol Law Enforcement officers on February 16, putting more than 20 people on the streets to crack down on excessive drinking.
Elon Police Lieutenant Craig Andrews says the accidents he's seeing are getting worse.
"I think it's frustrating because they don't really know the consequence of what they're doing. They're away from home, next thing you know they're getting hurt."
On the Friday night WFMY's cameras were rolling, an 18-year-old student, who admitted he'd been drinking, explained to officers how he got hurt.
"I think I accidently was pushed into some brick building and skin and brick do not normally mix."
In some cases it wasn't an injury that drew officers' attention to alcohol abuse.
"I'm on TV man!"
Kevin Ware approached police for a chat.
"I'm not going to lie. I'm drunk as s***"... "I ain't driving. I ain't doing s*** wrong."
Ware says he's a criminal justice major. Police nickname him "FBI" and tell him sarcastically he's off to a fine start for his chosen career.
"I think they're not using good judgement," says Andrews.
"They're not using sound judgement. They're thinking everything's fun, life's a party. They don't realize it's really not. They're here to learn and get an education."
After more patrols, officers catch up with Ware again. This time he's bloody and in need of help.
"I don't have money to pay for an ambulance. I pay $28,000 dollars a year to go here."
So how did he get to this point? Officers say Ware was inside a bar and motioned for people to surround an ALE agent while yelling and cursing. Captain Sam Russell says Ware tried to run from officers. But they caught him and arrested him.
"They walked him to the car, put him in the car, and when they went back around to get in the other side of the car, he somehow put his hands behind his back and managed to unbuckle the seatbelt, open the door and run from them again."
Ware was charged with inciting to riot and resisting arrest. WARNING: This legal document contains profanity. Discretion advised.
Click here for the Magistrate's order in the state vs. Kevin Michael Ware.
Money. Injury. Arrest. Ware realizes a night of heavy drinking starts to have consequences.
"Am I going to be able to drive to South Carolina by 9:30 tomorrow?... I got to go see my dad. He's leaving for Iraq Monday."
Russell says he's seen it all before.
"Kids they get away from home, they're going to experiment. I guess everybody's done it. They're going to experiment with alcohol. Some experiment with drugs. This generation just seems to be really pushing the limits."
Pushing the limits indeed. This is just a snapshot of one night in one college town. Investigators wanted the public to see what's happening. A federal report found nearly 600,000 college students are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol each year. Seventeen hundred students die from those injuries.
Results of February 16 Alcohol Enforcement Project
Driver's License Check Point: S. Williamson Avenue at Westgate Drive - Elon, NC
Citations/Arrests:
3 DWLR
3 NOL
4 Inspection Violation
3 Improper Registration
8 Alcohol Violations
2 Vehicles Towed
Town of Elon, NC
(Involved officers from Elon PD, Elon University Police, and NC ALE)
Citations/Arrests:25 Underage Possession of Alcohol
3 Possess Fake ID
2 Aid and Abet Underage possession
1 NOL
1 Littering
2 Fail to Supervise Premises w/ Alcohol
2 Sell Alcohol to Minor
1 Resist, Obstruct and Delay Officer
1 Inciting to Riot
WFMY News 2
