Loud parties still echo in West Tisbury
By Steve Myrick
Published: August 13, 2009
Three loud parties, which police say included some underage drinkers, generated many noise complaints from West Tisbury residents on the weekend of August 1-2. The reverberations are still being felt as police continue their investigation and those deemed responsible for the parties prepare for court appearances. Police from West Tisbury called in help from three other Island towns to help deal with the disturbances.
West Tisbury police Chief Beth Toomey said she could not release any more information about the investigation until charges are formally filed with the court. Several citations were issued, requiring those cited to appear for a show cause hearing in Edgartown District Court. At the hearing, police will outline the evidence, and a clerk-magistrate will decide whether charges are warranted.
One of the parties was at the home of Leslie Hurd, a local business owner. Police list the address as 133 Indian Hill Road, but assessors records list it as 131 Indian Hill Road.
In a phone interview with The Times, Ms. Hurd said she left her home at 10:30 pm on the evening of the party that drew complaints, while her son Sam Hurd, 20, and several friends remained at the Indian Hill Road residence. Police say they responded to complaints of noise at the residence at 11:18 pm. Ms. Hurd said police estimated there were about 70 people at the party. Police say many of them appeared to be minors drinking alcohol. Ms. Hurd said she has had a continuing problem with teenagers arriving at her home uninvited, many of them drinking.
"In 10 minutes, 70 kids could be in my house," Ms. Hurd said. "All of a sudden you're overwhelmed. If I was home, that wouldn't have happened." She said her son called police on the night of the most recent complaints, and said she has called police three or four times in the last month to report uninvited underage drinkers.
"What these kids appear to do, they go in large groups," Ms. Hurd said. "I'm asleep in bed, I will wake up and hear a crowd of people."
Ms. Hurd said she has never provided alcohol to underage drinkers and did not leave any alcohol in the home on August 1. She said that after the last incident, she is taking additional steps to prevent a recurrence. "I'm going to put up a wooden, locked gate," Ms. Hurd said, "with either a combination lock or a key lock, with a no trespassing sign."
Police said they issued four citations and made one arrest at the home. They said they have responded and issued warnings several times there. The charges include furnishing a place to provide alcohol, keeper of a disorderly house, disorderly conduct, and a town noise by-law violation. Arrested was Eric Anderson, 17, of North Easton. He was arraigned last week on a charge of a minor in possession of alcohol, and resisting arrest. He was ordered to pay court costs of $50, and was put on pre-trial probation for three months.
Chief Toomey declined to release the names of those cited, until a show cause hearing is completed. If charges are filed, the police report and all court proceedings will then become public.
Ms. Hurd said last Friday that she had not received any citation, but said police issued her son Sam a citation on the evening of the party.
Lineaweaver Lane
In the early morning hours of August 2, police also responded to a home at 11 Lineaweaver Lane, a home they have been to several times to deal with noise complaints.
Assessors records show the home is owned by James Young, who says that his son Taggart Young, 28, lives there. James Young acknowledged that there have been parties at the address before.
"He's had a couple of parties," said James Young. "I'm taking steps to make sure it won't happen again, that there is not a similar party. I told him consequent to the prior party, I did not want this to happen again, I did not want another large party."
Police say there were well more than 100 partygoers on hand when they arrived. They issued three citations, including keeper of a disorderly house, disorderly conduct, and violation of the noise by-law.
51 Skiff's Lane
The third party police responded to during the busy weekend was at 51 Skiff's Lane. According to assessors records, that home is owned by the Ramoutar Family Trust, which lists an address in Brooklyn. Attempts by The Times to contact the trustee, Michael Ramoutar, were unsuccessful.
