Nathan Vine

STEVENS POINT – A 25-year-old Stevens Point woman accused of stripping down and going swimming at the Riverfront Renevous and urinating in the crowded park was arrested Saturday on a variety of charges.

Margaret Laven was arrested on preliminary charges of disorderly conduct and lewd and lascivious behavior and cited for urinating in public after members of the crowd reported the woman.

Portage County Assistant District Attorney Cass Cousins said Stevens Point Police patrolling Pfiffner Pioneer Park at around 9 p.m. Saturday were told that a woman was urinating in public. When they arrived in the area to which people in the park directed them, the officers found Laven and her boyfriend, Jordan May, swimming in the Wisconsin River.

Police were unable to reach Laven and May, but May eventually came ashore and was arrested after arguing with police. Laven also came to shore, wearing only underpants, and also was arrested. Sgt. Dan Wheeler of the Stevens Point Police Department said alcohol is believed to be the underlying cause in both arrests.

May, 26, of Waupaca, made an initial appearance in Portage County Circuit Court on Monday for a bond hearing. Portage County Judge Thomas Flugaur set a $500 cash bond and ordered May not to drink until his case is resolved.

Cousins said Laven bonded out from the Portage County Jail and is expected to make an initial court appearance within the next two weeks.

Other than the arrest of Laven and May, police said Riverfront Rendezvous and the holiday weekend presented them with few disturbances.

"It wasn't anything we don't usually see. I think Riverfront Rendezvous is a family-oriented event, and we don't really have major problems," Wheeler said.

Stevens Point Parks Director Tom Schrader said he didn't have final numbers from the event, but said good weather seemed to help attendance. Schrader said the only issue he encountered were people bringing dogs to Pfiffner Park.

"It's the only time people can't bring dogs down there, but for whatever reason some of them do and we end up having to ask them to leave," Schrader said.

Nathan Vine can be reached at 715-345-2252. Find him on Twitter as @SPJNathanVine.