Campus Briefs: Friday, September 5, 1997

Car crash sends police officer to hospital The driver of the car -- a 71-year-old Philadelphia resident -- was pronounced dead at the scene, but police believe he was dead before the car struck the Explorer. "Medical folks think that he possibly had some kind of medical condition [such as a heart attack]" which caused the accident, Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush explained. University Police Officer Oscar Benjamin complained of stiffness in his neck but was released from HUP and returned immediately to full duty after the accident, Rush said. The accident occurred around 5:45 a.m., as Benjamin was parked on 34th Street slightly north of Walnut Street. The impact of the crash pushed the Explorer more than 25 feet forward, and the vehicle suffered moderate rear-end and possible transmission damage. But Rush stressed that even without the Explorer, University Police have enough vehicles to carry out their duties. In addition to the force's other patrol cars, it has bike patrols, unmarked cars and a wagon. -- Ian Rosenblum Man arrested for alleged burglary of U. Museum A West Philadelphia resident was arrested Thursday after allegedly burglarizing the University Museum. George Collins of the 5000 block of Irving Street was taken into custody at 43rd and Spruce streets based on a description given by a University employee working in the Durhing Wing of the Fine Arts Library, which is located at 236 S. 34th Street. The employee was taken to the arrest site, where he positively identified Collins. After arresting Collins, police found a 35mm camera, an AT&T; answering machine and a computer keyboard in a duffel bag the man was carrying. The items were valued at approximately $375 -- but had not been reported missing from the Durhing Wing. They did, however, match descriptions of the items a University employee had reported missing from the University Museum approximately two hours earlier, and police later returned the recovered items to the museum. -- Ian Rosenblum