Officials: No major issues with traffic, crime during Aggies' Thursday night game

The Eagle

By Rebecca Fiedler

Published: August 31, 2018

While cars were towed and a few minor arrests were made in the area around Kyle Field, Thursday proved to be a typical weeknight for College Station officials despite the Texas A&M football game.

College station police said there were some minor car accidents Thursday, but they did not appear to be related to game-day traffic.

College Station city spokesman Jay Socol said some motorists Thursday afternoon may have gotten caught up in congestion caused by a railroad-crossing arm malfunction. The crossing at Wellborn Road and Rock Prairie Road lowered several times during the day, without the presence of a train. Union Pacific representatives were called in to address the problem. College Station police said no unexpected road closures were made related to the game.

CSPD said 13 vehicles were towed Thursday, and Socol said a number were towed from areas marked "no parking" in neighborhoods near Kyle Field, despite legal parking being available.

University-sanctioned parking areas exist throughout the perimeter surrounding Kyle Field. According to a Texas A&M game-day parking map, lots directly surrounding the stadium exclude fans without reserved permits purchased before the game, but visitor parking is available off John Kimbrough Boulevard and Discovery Drive, near the entrance to campus on New Main Drive and Bizzel Street, and at the veterinary school off Agronomy Road. The Northgate district also provides paid parking to visitors, both at its garage and street-level lot.

University Police Department spokesman Lt. Bobby Richardson said Thursday's fan activity didn't differ much from a regular Saturday game. By 9:30 p.m., one person had been arrested and charged with public intoxication, and one had been arrested with failure to properly identify themselves -- both misdemeanor offenses. Though scanner traffic relayed that law enforcement and campus staff did have to shoo away ticket scalpers, Richardson said no scalping arrests had been made.

The TAMUPolice Twitter account mentioned two citations issued to minors in possession of alcohol at Aggie Park and parking area 40D, both before halftime, College Station police reported one game-related public intoxication arrest from tailgating, and said around 11 p.m. six arrests had been made at Northgate.

Some students reported that their afternoon classes were canceled, and the university released non-essential employees at 1 p.m.

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