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The Rice Thresher
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by Mark Berenson Thresher Editorial Staff Running across Enron Field during the Owls' baseball game on Friday seemed like a harmless prank to Jose De La Pena. But it landed the Baker College senior in jail for the night, and he may face fines of up to $2,500. At the game, a group of about 25 Baker students, including De La Pena, along with Baker Master Mickey Quinones were sitting on the third base line. Quinones had purchased tickets to the game and given them to Baker students. According to Quinones, some students started daring De La Pena, to run from his seat to the flagpole in the middle of center field. The students collected $125 as incentive for De La Pena to run. Quinones did not contribute to the pot. Baker freshman Mahek Shah said he gave money because he thought it would be entertaining. "I thought it would be fun to see him do it," Shah said. "It's good to contribute to a good cause." When Rice was in the field in the top of the eighth, De La Pena hopped the fence and started running toward center field. The crowd, especially those in the Rice section, started cheering for him. "I was just cheering him on and hoped that he wouldn't trip," Shah said. De La Pena made it to the flagpole in center field, climbed the short wall and then scurried up to the Ruggles restaurant beyond the wall, where a security officer was waiting for him. Baker freshman Katie Fort was standing next to the security officer. "After Jose made it over [the fence] the cop said, 'Your friend didn't outrun the radio. He's going to jail,'" Fort said. De La Pena said the officer took him to a holding facility to wait for the Houston Police Department. After the Rice students realized the police had detained De La Pena, they started chanting, "Free Jose! Free Jose!" De La Pena was transported to the Harris County jail, where he was fingerprinted, had his mug shot taken and was put in a holding facility. He was held with several people charged with driving while intoxicated and one person who had been caught driving a stolen vehicle. De La Pena's roommate came to pay his $500 bail at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. De La Pena was charged with trespassing. Trespassing is a Class C misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of 180 days in jail and $2000 fine, according to Dee McWilliams, assistant district attorney in Court 13. De La Pena's arraignment was set for today. De La Pena had no idea the consequences would be so severe. "When [the security officer] told me, 'You're going to jail,' I was stunned," De La Pena said. Quinones also thought the punishment was overly harsh. "Sure, it was a dumb thing to do, but I think the level of [possible] punishment is not commensurate with the crime here," Quinones said. "I am not encouraging people to go out and run across fields or anything, but I don't understand how harsh they are coming down." Shah said he felt bad for what happened to De La Pena. Quinones said he hoped Baker, and especially the students who paid De La Pena to run across the field, would help him pay the fine. "They had a good laugh about it, at his expense, while he's in jail," Quinones said. De La Pena said he's more worried about getting a job than the fine. "I don't care so much about the money," he said. "It is more that if I get charged with anything, it is going to go on my record, and especially now, since I am looking for jobs."
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