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Simpson resident assaulted
By Jacob Harrison
Collegian Senior Reporter
At approximately 3 a.m. on Dec. 17, senior
history major and resident assistant Andrew Colthurst was attacked
from behind outside Simpson Dormitory and beaten by two unidentified
persons.
The official police report cannot be released
because the case is still under investigation. However, Colthurst
recalls the incident clearly, short of identifying the faces
of his assailants.
That night, Colthurst said he had been up
late studying for a final in the student union. He left the
school through the bookstore entrance below the snack bar and
walked across West Street toward Simpson. It was quiet, but
he vaguely recalls observing a car with headlights on in the
south lot.
When he had almost reached the door, he suddenly
heard someone screaming obscene threats such as, "I'm going
to kick your f-ing ass!"
"You know, college students do stupid
things-I thought it might be one of my friends yelling,"
he said. "So I glanced around the corner and saw two guys
a good distance off coming toward me."
Colthurst said he proceeded to the door and
was attempting to unlock it when he heard their steps rushing
up behind. He could only turn around before being blind-sighted
by a cheap shot. Then, for approximately 10 to 15 seconds against
the wall by the door, they both swung at him wildly before running
away.
Simpson House Director Sue Wismar immediately
called campus security, who called Hillsdale Police.
"I stayed up all night, warning everyone
coming in or out to be careful," Wismar said.
Colthurst's right eye was swelling, and Wismar
wanted him to go to the hospital.
"I went upstairs and pried my eyelid
open to make sure I could still see, and all I saw was white,"
he said. "It scared the hell out me."
Dr. David Gossage of the Gossage Eye Institute
determined the floor of Colthurst's orbital lobe had been blown
out, which means that the lower ridge of the eye socket, which
holds the eyeball in place, had broken and shifted. His eye
had been partially driven into the sinus cavity.
Colthurst underwent an outpatient procedure
in Southfield, Mich., on New Year's Eve, and his vision and
face have recovered.
"We are looking at this very seriously,"
Director of Security Mike Wertz said. "This is my neighborhood.
I live in this neighborhood. So I want to know who's running
around here as well-especially when they start to assault folk."
Dean of Men Aaron Petersen has also been closely
involved in the investigation.
"Andrew's father and I were discussing
Andrew's ability to recall certain facts," Pertersen said.
"And we began discussing the merits of seeing a hypnotist,
as a 'could do no harm' option, in order to see if he might
recall anything further."
Wertz said that when he became head of security
last August, they decided to move their offices into the maintenance
building for greater visibility on campus. However, patrol perimeter
has been widened by the college's acquisition of new property
off Barber Drive last year.
"Call us on cell phone," Wertz said.
"We carry cell phones so that our reaction time to anything
that happens will be far faster by connecting directly, rather
than through the Dow Center."
Wertz said that they have increased their
awareness, and have begun to target areas around campus and
vary patrols daily so that no one can learn their routine.
Petersen said that security personnel have
been asked to pay special attention to the area around Simpson.
In case of emergency, call security at517-398-2378
or 517-398-1522 .
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