Off-campus party leads to arrests
Jenna’s attendance confirmed

By Ram Luthra
Staff Reporter

A TCU student who is reportedly a close acquaintance of President George W. Bush’s daughter, Jenna, was arrested by Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission officers late Saturday night for public intoxication.

William Ashe Bridges, a freshman business major, and Jenna Bush were attending a Mardi Gras party at a private residence located at 2737 Sandage Ave. A charge of public intoxication is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $500.

According to several sources who attended the party, Jenna Bush, a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, was escorted by Secret Service agents at the party.

After receiving complaints from neighbors about noise and public disturbance, TABC Sgt. Robert Cloud reported to the residence.

“This was a routine party for (TABC) to check for underage drinking,” he said. “We have been there (at the same residence) before in prior raids.”

According to the Tarrant County Appraisal District, Michael Lahoud, a sophomore electrical engineering major, owns the residence where the party was held. Although he said about 200 students were at the party, he could not confirm that Bridges or Jenna Bush were at his house Saturday.

“The first time I saw (Bridges) was in the paper this week,” Lahoud said. “I don’t know if Jenna was there. My roommates don’t know either. If she was there, she wasn’t there that long, or we would have seen her.”

Melissa Blanton, a freshman fashion promotion major, confirmed Jenna Bush was at the party.

Cloud said his goal was to stop any criminal activities at the party and to maintain public safety. He said he did not know the President’s daughter was at the party.

Cloud and other officers arrested Bridges, 18, and two other students. One was arrested for providing alcohol to minors, and the other was arrested for underage drinking and possession of a fake ID.

“(Bridges) was a polite man and very cooperative,” Cloud said. “He was not belligerent at all.”

Bridges was taken to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office at about 1 a.m. TABC passed the case over to Sheriff Dee Anderson.

Despite numerous attempts, the TCU Daily Skiff could not reach Anderson for comment. According to the incident report, Bridges was booked at 2:58 a.m. Sunday and was released at 5:46 a.m.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bridges was released to Secret Service agents shortly after he made a phone call from his cell phone. Anderson told the Star-Telegram that jail officials believe Bridges called for Jenna Bush and her Secret Service agent.

Although Cloud said he did not see Jenna Bush at the party, sources confirmed her attendance.

A TCU student who asked to remain anonymous attended the party and said she saw Jenna Bush at the party, but did not see her consuming any alcohol. The student said Jenna had come to TCU to visit a friend for the weekend.

“The only time I saw her was when she first came (to the party),” she said. “One of my sorority sisters pointed her out in the crowd, and I noticed the resemblance (to President Bush) right away. Later, I saw her, but I was too far away to see if she was drinking.”

Bridges could not be reached for comment Thursday, but he told the Star-Telegram Wednesday night the incident was not a big deal and added: “I guess I really don’t want to say anything else.”

Jenna Bush and Bridges both graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in Austin in 2000.

Ram Luthra
r.d.luthra@student.tcu.edu
Senior Reporter Melissa DeLoach contributed to this report.