Issue date: 11/28/05 Section: News

Jason Gilbert - The Battalion Senior wide receiver Jason Carter eludes the Texas defense as he runs for a touchdown early in the second quarter in the annual Lone Star Showdown at Kyle Field Friday afternoon.

John Richmond Sullivan, a sophomore business major, was arrested Friday for criminal mischief after scooping a shovelful of horse dung out of a wheel barrow and throwing it onto several members of the University of Texas (UT) band.

Sullivan, a member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and a member of the Parsons Mounted Cavalry unit, was taken to the Brazos County Jail. He was unavailible for comment.

"I saw the individual take a shovelful of horse feces, and he just threw it up into the air," said Sgt. Allan Baron of University Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit. "He was deliberately doing this to the (UT) band...he threw it directly into the band."

Audrey Sherman, a sophomore UT band member, said she was shocked to see a cadet flinging a shovel in the band's direction.

"We were sitting in the stands, and the guys on horses came in," Sherman said. "One guy with a shovel threw poop right at us. It hit two of our directors and a drum major. It got in their hair and on their face."

Kim Shuttlesworth, the UT Longhorn Band's drum major, refused to comment except to confirm that she had been hit with the feces.

"I was like, 'Did he really just do that?'" Sherman said. "The (UT) band booed him as the police led him away. He was just smirking."

Baron, who witnessed the occurrence, said the cadet was out of formation and standing in plain sight of Lt. Gen. John Van Alstyne. He said the UT band director and band members declined to press assault charges against the student, but asked that the University punish the student.

"The incident report will now go to conflict resolution, but the individual also faces a criminal mischief charge in Brazos County, which is a class B offense and carries a fine of up to $2,000 and 180 days in jail," Baron said.

Ryan Green, a junior economics major and former member of the Corps, said the incident was not indicative of Aggie behavior.

"I think it's disappointing that a member of the Corps, and especially a member of such a distinguished unit as Parsons Mounted Cavalry, would conduct himself in such a base manner," Green said. "I'd expect that from Tech fans, not Aggies."

University Police Chief Elmer Schneider said the incident cast a shadow over what should be an enjoyable event.

"This is a disappointment for A&M and UT's relationship," Schneider said. "They come over here, and we invite officers (from Austin) to come over for the game, so...when attention is focused on this kind of thing it's a real disappointment."

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