Wellesley students vandalize Bacon St. bridge

On Nov. 7 three Wellesley College students were caught spray painting under the bridge at the intersection of Bacon and Central Streets. "An off duty Wellesley College police officer first noticed the female parties and fresh spray paint," said Lieutenant Marie Cleary of the Town of Wellesley Police Department. "He approached them and they fled down a path on College property. He pursued them where they proceeded to admit to spray painting the bridge. Two of the three had spray cans in their possession."

The students admitted to vandalizing the bridge. "At the time of the incident all three were cooperative and did admit to spray painting under the bridge," Cleary said. The three students then were tagged and will head to trial at a later date.

"They will receive notification in the mail of the court date and then once they receive notification, it could be a few weeks or a few several months before a court date," Cleary explained. The date depends on how busy the Dedham District Court is and how many other cases must be heard. Once the case goes to court, Cleary explains it could go in a few directions. "If on that particular day all three females are cooperative and want to pay restitutions the case could be disposed of on that day or if not it could go to trial," she said.

Wellesley students rarely come in contact with the law outside of campus police. "It is disappointing," Chief Justice Vicki Errickson '11 said. "But Wellesley College Police Department and Wellesley Town Police Department have a strong relationship and it helps in these situations so that we can work together to come to an understanding."

Currently this case is not being looked at by the Honor Code  Council and it is not known whether any additional action is being taken by the administration.

"The town probably has bigger problems than graffiti," said Natalia Ospina '12. "We didn't even hear about [the incident] on campus."

Lieutenant Cleary acknowledges the scope of vandalism in the town of Wellesley is not widespread but also not ignored. "If you drive around town there is a lot of graffiti occurring under several bridges, the arches of the aqueduct," Cleary said. "Other incidents around down include on walking paths, parks and sometimes from the high school. It is not daily, not necessarily weekly but not uncommon."

The bridge in question already had multiple instances of vandalism before the students added anything. "The bridge is owned by CSX Train Company. Many incidents of graffiti occur there," Cleary said. "I am sure the company periodically tries to paint over them but several parties  are responsible. It could be frats, sororities or high school students from Wellesley or Natick as the bridge is on the town line."