Pi was framed in car vandalism incident, victims say

Published in the Lee Clarion.

Over a dozen vehicles were vandalized in the O’Bannon-Bowdle parking lot early Friday morning between 2-4 a.m. according to freshmen residents.

Car chalk was used on the windows of the vehicles to paint images of male genitalia, obscene words and the symbols of Lee University Greek club Pi Kappa Pi on a number of cars.

“Somebody was trying to make Pi look even worse than they do already,” Patrick Wright, a freshman psychology major, said. “I have a lot of friends in Pi. I’m not bias at all, but there’s no way that was Pi.”

Most of the vandalized vehicles belonged to the freshman residents of fourth floor O’Bannon Hall, although cars belonging to other residents, including the resident director’s wife, were also struck.

“That’s kind of weird that they did that,” freshman Nick Ridge said. “She wasn’t happy.”

Ridge said that the RD’s wife immediately called local law enforcement when she saw the crime.

Officials from the Office of Residential Life were unavailable and did not return calls for comment.

Shayn Fernandez, a freshman and Pi member, said he thought someone else was responsible for the attack.

“We’ve been blamed for a lot of crap…that kind of ticks me off,” he said. “People are just taking advantage of the situation we’re in right now.”

Wright said that he first spotted the prank when he went to his car to get money at around 4:30 a.m.

The crimes were likely committed by multiple perpetrators who were aiming to frame Pi, he said, noting the different colors of car chalk used.

“I have no clue who could have possibly done it,” he said. “I know for a fact it wasn’t anybody in Pi. Pi wouldn’t do that. It would be ridiculous.”

Freshman business major Brett Lowery said he believed the violators were fourth floor O’Bannon residents.

Jared Owen, the resident assistant for the fourth floor cluster, said that while a few of the guys on his floor were targeted, his own vehicle was preserved.

“I wasn’t surprised,” the junior pastoral ministry major said. “Stuff like this happens all the time … you just learn to take things in stride.”

Freshman Nick Ridge said his Mustang was among the desecrated.

“I had one big thing on my window,” he said. “It was all over the cars this morning. A lot of them have been cleaned up.”

Ridge said that the dorm fire alarm was pulled at approximately 4:30 a.m. His guess was that the perpetrator wanted residents to come outside and see the prank while it was fresh.

Only three cars belonging to fourth floor residents were left unscathed, Ridge said.

Ridge said he thought the perpetrator was likely a resident of the dorm who had a grudge against Pi.

“Pi wouldn’t do that; they’re not that dumb,” he said.

Mikey Mckellar, a freshman telecommunications major, said he also fell victim.

“All I know is that is that there’s a PI Kappa Pi [symbol] on the back of my truck,” he said. “But it would be stupid to put their greek club on there. We think it’s someone just joking around, doing their thing.”