Police rounded up more than a dozen youths at an underage drinking and marijuana party in New Canaan on Saturday night, arresting the 16-year-old boy who hosted it after finding beer and pot-smoking gear in the home.
Police responded to a call at about 9:03 p.m. on Oct. 18 of a large party involving youths and possibly alcohol on Hillcrest Road, according to Sgt. Carol Ogrinc, public information officer of the New Canaan Police Department.
Arriving, police saw cars parked on the street and several kids running into the woods. Inside, they found 15 unopened cans of beer (and several empties), a multicolored bong, small bottle of Bacardi Zombie cocktail mix, two glass pipes with pot in tem, digital scale, vaporizer and several packets of rolling papers, Ogrinc said.
The 16-year-old who lives there faces juvenile charges of possession of alcohol by a minor, failure to halt possession of alcohol by minors, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of less than .5 ounces of marijuana, according to a police report.
He told police that his parents were out and that he had only a few friends over when more started arriving, police said. His case was referred to the Juvenile Matters Division of state Superior Court in Stamford, where he’s schedule to appear Oct. 28.
Of the kids who ran off, police tracked down 14—half boys, half girls, and mostly 16- and 17-year-olds, though there also was a 15-year-old girl, police said.
Several of them received infraction summonses for having passengers in their cars illegally—a growing problem in the town, Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said. He encourages all New Canaan parents to print out and sign this Teen-Parent Safe Driver Agreement.
For the first six months after obtaining a driver’s license, a new diver may only have an instructor, parent or legal guardian in the car. For the second six months, a new driver can add immediately family members. Until a new driver is 18, he or she may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless it’s for work, school, medical necessity or religious activity, the law says. All passengers of a motorist younger than 18 must wear a seatbelt in the car, front and back. Until a driver turns 18, he or she may not use cell phones (even if hands-free) or other mobile electronic devices while driving. This includes any hand-held computers or other device with a video display.
The passenger and curfew restrictions do not apply to:
- active members of a volunteer fire company or department who are responding to an emergency or carrying out duties
- active members of a volunteer ambulance service or company who are responding to an emergency or carrying out duties
- active members of medical service organization who are responding to an emergency or carrying out duties
- assigned driver in a Safe Ride program.