FALMOUTH, Maine — A man and a woman have been charged with furnishing a place for minors to drink after a celebration for two state championship teams turned into an underage drinking party, according to police.
Officers received a tip around 10:30 p.m. Saturday that a party with underage drinking was taking place at a residence on Fieldstone Road, according to Lt. John Kilbride.
When Sgt. George Savage initially went to investigate, the homeowner, Barry Spencer, told him that it was a chemical-free party celebrating Falmouth High School’s state championships in baseball and lacrosse, and Savage found no evidence of alcohol consumption.
About an hour after Savage left the house, police stopped a vehicle for expired registration tags and discovered an intoxicated passenger had been drinking at the party.
When police returned to the residence, they discovered evidence of drinking and marijuana use and between 50 and 100 kids, Kilbride said.
“Some were taking off running into the woods, others to their vehicles,” said Kilbride, who noted that 35 vehicles were parked at or around the residence. “We were dealing with a difficult scene.”
An intoxicated 16-year-old female got in her car and tried to flee the scene, nearly running an officer down, Kilbride said. She was charged with operating under the influence.
There was also evidence of alcohol poisoning, including vomit on the ground and on cars.
“We were very concerned for the safety of the youngsters,” he said.
One male was found passed out on a neighbor’s lawn, and he was treated at the scene by medical personnel, according to Kilbride.
In the end, Spencer and his wife, Paula, were summoned for furnishing a place for minors to consume alcohol but were not arrested, Kilbride said.
“The adults need to keep these things under control,” the lieutenant said. “In the end, they’re responsible for those youngsters in their backyard and they need to regain control of that.”
The charges put a damper on what was supposed to be a banner day for the baseball and lacrosse teams.
“It’s a black mark for these teams representing their schools,” Kilbride said.
Looks like some of the teams in the fall will be hurting — I think the policy is that if a kid is caught drinking that is on a sports team they lose 10% of the current season or if the season is at a close that penalty goes to the next season for a first offense. This could have changed in the past few years but if not it will be a black mark in the fall to all those teams also.
Sadly, the article in the press herald (http://www.pressherald.com/sports/falmouth-title-teams-celebrate-to-excess_2012-06-20.html) quotes the principal as saying no penalties will be invoked because it was outside the sports season. Guess even by a few hours means outside. Also, Falmouth being Falmouth, names are not being freely shared and the implication by the principal is he will not try very hard to get them. It’s appalling that 52 year old adults think they need to do this. And they became even more irresponsible when it led to vomiting, kids passed out, and kids who had been drinking being allowed to leave in cars.
You’re right. If it’s outside the sports season, then there’s nothing the school admins can do in terms of punishment.
There is if they had a better drug and alcohol policy. Sounds like the school board better get on that and fix the loop hole.
I think the school should stay out of things not related to school.
yeah, like sports!
Don’t blame the school, it’s totally the falt of two irresponsible patrents. Throw the book at them.
Its not about blaming the school — Kids that play sports know the consequences that come with drinking and sports (not school) if this school followed the “sports done right” policy then these kids would be not playing fall sports for awhile. Many schools do have tighter policies around drinking, drugs and sports. Its not about school (education) and partying its about Sports and partying. More progressive schools have seen through the kids waiting for school breaks and weekends to have massive parties so they can beat the system. Sounds like this school is to involved in maintaining winning teams to care about the safety and well being of the sports players. With so many teen deaths this year you’d think parents would be making better decisions.
how about the parents of these children?maybe if they taught them right in the first place then they probally don’t go to this party.and what happened to being charged for lieing to a cop?
I’m sure if the school is this progressive in sports — they don’t want to implement any policies that will take these sports kids out of the game.
Not true in my school district. The policy applies year round. In season, off season doesn’t matter. My beef is that the policy is not strict enough. As a parent the school punishment pales in comparison to mine.
As so called responsible adults I would think they would have at least had the kids leave the keys at the door. With so many accidents (deaths) involving kids this year you think they would have at least thought of taking car keys.
They were out of season so the school has no jurisdiction, per the much more informative article in the Forecaster.
FHS is probably going to change that policy, but can’t punish the kids retroactively under a rule that wasn’t in effect at the time.
It can go retro if the new policy includes convictions with int the past 3 months or 6 months….
There seems to be more outrage in Falmouth about the use of an email list (“Outrage follows release, use of Falmouth email list” http://www.theforecaster.net/news/print/2012/06/20/outrage-follows-release-use-falmouth-email-list/127549 ) then there is about underage drinking, drug use, etc…(“Championship celebration ends with charges against Falmouth students, parents” http://www.theforecaster.net/news/print/2012/06/19/championship-celebration-ends-charges-against-falm/127409 ).
I wonder what the “outrage” would sound like if the Maine Principals Association striped the school of the two state championship titles they were awarded Saturday in Boys Lacrosse and Boys Baseball in response to this “party” that occurred the same day as the games. Not saying they can or will but I wonder…….
Different schools have different policies. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened (I can recall a few incidents involving Deering HS back in the day). And the MPA cannot strip the schools of their titles
While they may not be able to strip the title, they should have that option available in cases like this. We stopped teaching out youth about personable responsibility a long time ago and this is what we are reaping today.
Actions have consequences…what better way of learning it and far less painful for family, friend and classmates then what happened earlier this week in Belgrade.
There is no way the MPA will ever explore that option. Once the games are over and the trophies are handed out, it is out of their hands.
I understand what you are saying Ryan but I learned a very long time ago never to say never.
I never thought I would have to take off my shoes to board a plane.
I never thought we would be able to extend a person life using a Left Ventricular Asset Device.
I never thought we would have a woman Secretary of State given they would have to deal with the Muslim world.
I never thought the World Trade Center would be attacked not once but twice.
I never thought I would live to see the day that we would have armed combat air patrols flying over our major cities.
So given the right circumstances I am sure the MPA would strip a title…tapes of performance enhancing drug use, tampering with players equipment, paying off a ref or two, etc…certainly would give rise to the level of removing a title and awarding it to the other team.
I don’t always agree with you but I must say…..well said!
Should the children that were members of the team, who that night, desided to stay home and watch Jeopardy! with there folks, deserve to lose the crown they trained for? And won. I was a member of a high school team that took it all in the early ’90’s, and let me tell ya, we partied. Most teachers and coaches had their party days. I don’t know you, of coarse, but I’ll bet you had your days. Maybe even as a minor. This has been going on for a long, long time, and most of us make it, and some of us are even successful folks now. Some died.
Should we fight it? Maybe.
Would it stop this? I doubt it.
“Didn’t we know all along that the censors are at best voyeurs?”
schools can do what they want, they dont follow jurisdiction rules like the courts and cops do. they can easily decide that the students involved will have no part of the sports program in the next year.
Oh, PLEEEZE! This is a Portland-area high school. These aren’t yokels from Augusta or Waterville or Ellsworth or Mars Hill or even Bangor. These are sophisticated adults, not CHILDREN. Leave them alone. (Removing tongue from cheek)
Sophisticated? LOL
Chemical free party??? what did the parents think were happening when kids starting getting sick and so on, getting high on the air?? Come on, don’t tell me that it was a chemical free party, accept responsibility!! Idiots!
The parents knew, they were lying to the cops their first visit out.
These parents are irresponsible, and more likely than not participated in the activity.
Not arrested???? Please !!!!! Oh wait, how stupid of me. It is Falmouth after all….
in life as well as at work, just say “what’s the worst thing that could happen here and what am i going to do to prevent it”?……..works every time
Classy folks!
Why werent they arrested? Who do they know? Seems to me they should have had a brief stay at the crowbar hotel.
If bartenders are responsible for adult drinkers leaving the establishment, then why are parents not held up to scrutiny for underage drinking going on?
Throw the book at these two! They should be arrested!
Party on Wayne!
The best way to keep these things under control, and yourself out of trouble, is just not to allow any party for teenagers on your property. Period.
The best way to keep things under your control, is to keep them in your control.
If I were the parent of one of the kids, I would sue the couple. Imagine these two “adults” putting so many young lives at risk. Totally irresponsible. Totally criminal.
I agree totally irresponsible, totally criminal – and hope these adults get charged. But to sue the couple and make some money off it….well, that’s not a message I would want to send a teenager. Personal responsibility and – you can bet your bottom dollar – one heck of a punishment. At that age, teens should have been taught right from wrong; not that if you make a mistake you can force someone else to pay for it.
What you say is true. When I wrote that I had just read the article and was quite angry.
Yes, the answer to everything, sue…
What would possess these parents/’adults’ to allow minors to party /partake in their presence? I’m not a parent and am very liberal but…… seriously?!
When is society going to get this right? How in the name of God do we expect our kids to magically turn into responsible drinkers when we ban them from it (and society glamorizes it) and then when they turn 21 they mysteriously get it. What a joke. We need to lower the drinking age ( are you kidding me they can go off to war and not have a beer??!!) and educate and have a test they take and pass before they can get an id to buy.
Get educated!!!! http://www.chooseresponsibility.org/about/
I hope you are not responsible for any teenagers. A test they can take?????????? Wow!
Seriously — just an hour after the Sgt. left the party a kid was pulled over and police returned to the house and found kids so drunk that they were falling all over the place, throwing up etc… Sounds to me like Mr. Sgt. man and the family that was allowing the drinking were a little tight. Obviously there were signs of drinking if only an hour later 35 cars were in the driveway and drunken bodies everywhere.
Probably the police officer that broke up the party was new and didn’t realize this is something that is condoned — probably he’s in trouble now and the parents that held the party will walk away with the dumb founded look of “I didn’t realize what was going on”. Leave these kids alone after all they are jocks and bring banners and trophies to our schools.
Awe, c’mon and give ’em a break. These are the “Yachtsmen”. That’s just how they roll down there.
And life goes on in the Golden Triangle.
You fool. This is an issue that permeates our state and country. This is not limited to southern Maine. This state will only become a better to live when people like you realize too many of our kids abuse alcohol and drugs and the future is looking bad.
You fool. It was your generation that had your Dukes and Bogarts always with a scotch in their hand, and a smoke in their mouth. It was your Deans that had fast cars and more women than they needed. And during the popcorn break, your generation called out the war on a deadly weed. You think this is new? That is the thought of a fool.
Actually my (baby boomer) parents neither drank nor smoked anything. Calling out a whole group for the indiscretions of a few is not productive.
Potential disaster whenever teenagers drink as drink till you drop seems normal for many teenagers. I wonder how paying a hundred dollar fine would be for each teenager and losing their drivers license for six months. The problem is partly that the teenagers don’t get hit with the bill, either it is their parents or they get off scot free.
Now on the other hand how many of the posters here drank as teenagers? How many smoked pot? Hopefully you have not announced these little episodes to your teenage children.[Grin]
But again I think for any teenage crime, it should be the teenagers that pay the bill. How else are you going to teach them responsibility. They want to be like adults, then teach them the cost of being adult. It is a very important lesson to learn, the earlier the better.
Drank like a fish when I was a teen, No drugs. Yes I have told my kids.
To me it sounds like the party got out of hand. The parents should have had chaperones to make sure no drugs or alcohol were on the premises. Maybe it started out as a small get together and escalated into more than they could handle.50 to 100 kids is alot for 2 people to keep close tabs on. They should have and probably realized it was out of hand and should have called for help.Glad nobody got hurt.
who’s business is it beside the parents if they smoke a little weed or have a drink or 2.. It’s not the governments business if you believe in God and bring your child to church is it?? at least not yet… you people have sissified life haven’t you,, we now have girly men running this country
You can’t be serious.
Had Foxcroft won, would this have happened in Dover-Foxcroft? Something tells me no…