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Last updated on Friday, May 11, 2012
(BLOOMINGTON) - Continuing a tradition that often occurs during times of IU revelry, a Showalter Fountain fish was broken.
22-year-old Jeffrey Pearce was arrested after an IU Police Department security officer say Pearce was allegedly sitting on top of one of the fish, rocking back and forth until it was knocked off its base.
He is being charged with criminal mischief.
Cash said it is not yet known whether the fish will have to be replaced or just repaired. Repairs will cost about $7,000, while a replacement could cost as much as $20,000.
IU Police Chief Keith Cash says security was beefed up in the area of the fountain because of the number of times students have damaged or stolen fish in the fountain.
In 1976 and 1987, fish were stolen after the men's basketball team won in the NCAA championships.
Two fish went missing the night Coach Bobby Knight was fired in 2000. A fish was also stolen in August 2010.
Later that year, the fish procured more damage during the Nearly Naked Mile. The fountain underwent a $50,000 makeover in May 2011, and, as a precaution, the fish were temporarily removed from the fountain this past March prior to IU's rematch with Kentucky in the Sweet 16.
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