Students caught sledding in construction zone

by JENNA ROBERTSON

Staff Writer

Following last week’s snowstorm on Jan. 26, the University of Mary Washington Police Department found students sledding in an off-limits construction zone on campus, prompting warnings and administrative referrals but no criminal charges.

According to UMW Chief of Police and Associate Vice President of Public Safety Michael Hall, officers encountered the students while assisting facilities staff nearby. The discovery was not the result of a report or complaint but occurred by chance.

“It was wrong place, wrong time,” Hall said. “Officers were over there helping Facilities with some vehicles and heard students sledding and talking. That’s how we found out.”

The construction zone, which is fenced off due to ongoing work, posed heightened safety risks because snow and ice can conceal hazards such as uneven ground, metal materials and excavation areas, according to Hall.

Hall said the students were cooperative and respectful during the encounter. Rather than issuing trespassing summonses, officers chose to address the situation through conversation and education.

“The biggest thing was being very firm in the conversation,” Hall said. “We understand students want to have fun, but when you go inside a fenced-in construction site, there are so many unknowns.”

The snow-covered construction zones hide dangers that are not visible at the surface, including steel materials, rebar, heavy equipment or holes in the ground, Hall said.

“You think everything is fine, and all of a sudden you hit something underneath the snow,” Hall said. “That’s when serious injuries can happen.”

While entering a construction site can constitute criminal trespassing, Hall confirmed no criminal charges were filed. Instead, students were issued administrative referrals to the university’s student conduct system.

“It’s very easy to write a trespass summons, but that wasn’t our goal,” Hall said. “This was about protecting the students and educating them.”

According to Hall, the referrals allow the university to document the incident and ensure students understand the risks involved. Any disciplinary outcomes are determined by the Office of Student Conduct.

“Typically, they’ll have a conversation with the student,” Hall said. “It can range from discussion to reflective assignments.”

Some students who witnessed the sledding said they understood both the appeal of the hill and the reason police intervened.

Eleanor Tjaden, a sophomore biomedical sciences major, said she saw several students sledding inside the fenced construction area from Bushnell Hall

“I looked out and saw there were like four or five people in the gated construction area,” she said. “They looked like they were having a fun time.”

Tjaden said she understood why police addressed the situation.

“It’s gated off for a reason because it is an active construction site,” she said. “There are other hills on and off campus that you can use.”

Haley Smith, a sophomore biology major, mentioned she was not aware of the incident at the time but agreed that the restrictions were clear.

“If it’s fenced off and there are signs that say no trespassing, then that’s on them,” she said. “There are other places you can go.”

Hall said the department prioritizes education and communication when interacting with students, especially in situations that do not pose an immediate threat.

“Our goal is to take every chance we can to educate students,” he said. “Not to talk down to them, but to explain why we’re saying you shouldn’t be in this area.”

When covered by snow or ice, construction sites can be dangerous even under normal conditions and become more hazardous.

“In those zones, construction workers wear hard hats and safety gear, and accidents still happen,” Hall said. “Someone who doesn’t know the site could fall into a hole or hit metal that’s hidden under the snow.”

The sledding incident was not isolated. Hall said a similar situation occurred the following night, when additional students were found inside the same construction area. Officers again addressed the issue through warnings and referrals.

“Since then, we haven’t had any more,” he said.

Hall emphasized that police are not trying to discourage students from enjoying snow days but want them to do so safely and in permitted areas.

“There are plenty of places where students can sled that aren’t inside a construction zone,” he said. “That fence is there for a reason.