In The NewsAlleged Drinking Bash Host Arrested
Originally printed in The Westerly Sun
Monday, July 27, 2009
Author: Emily Dupuis- The arrest of Samantha Read marks the first use of Westerly's new social liability ordinance.
WESTERLY - Within two weeks of the town putting a social host ordinance on its books, a Rockridge Road 18-year-old has been charged with allegedly hosting an underage drinking party. Samantha Read, of 41 Rockridge Road, is the first person charged under the ordinance adopted by the Town Council on July 13, Westerly Police Chief Edward A. Mello said this morning.
Two men, Michael J. Terranova, 18, and Michael J. Bailey, 18, face municipal charges of underage possession of alcohol in connection with the party held Wednesday night.
The new law - the first of its kind in the state - makes it illegal for any person to "conduct, aid, allow or otherwise permit" a party or gathering at a residence where alcohol is served to minors. The ordinance holds the person with "control" of the premises responsible.
Read and the two men are scheduled to appear in Municipal Court on Aug. 20. She faces a $250 first-offense fine, under the ordinance.
Mello said officers were sent to 6 Lee St. for a report of a party at about 11 p.m. Wednesday.
In the vicinity, they encountered Terranova, of 75 White Rock Road, and Bailey, of 14 Harrison Ave.
"Both of them were in possession of alcohol. Both of them are adults, but minors," Mello said. At the Lee Street house, Read let officers inside. They found three cases of beer and around 20 teenagers between ages 17 and 19 inside, the police chief said.
Mello said Read's father, with whom officers have not been able to speak, owns or rents the home. Westerly tax records list the property owner as David N. Read.
Police did reach Read's mother, Kim P. Read, who does not live on Lee Street, as well as the parents of the other minors at the party.
"It was clear Samantha was in control at that time. She was the responsible party. She was hosting a party where alcohol was being served to underage individuals," Mello said, adding she had keys to the house.
Because the other minors were not found to be in direct possession of alcohol, they face no charges. Mello said the ordinance was created, not only as a law enforcement tool, but also as a way to raise awareness and educate the public about underage drinking.
"In a sense I was not surprised," Mello said of the recent arrest. "Clearly, it continues to be a problem."
Mary Lou Serra, coordinator of the group that proposed the ordinance, praised the police response today.
"When the Westerly Substance Abuse Task Force brought its draft of a Social Host liability ordinance to the town of Westerly, we came with the intention to do one very basic thing - keep kids healthy and safe," she said. "We respect the state social host law, but believe that a local ordinance goes a long way toward sending the message that we care about this issue at a local level. We are grateful the town was willing to work with us to fine-tune the ordinance and ultimately, see its passage.
"Today, we want to praise the Westerly Police Department for enforcing the new law and working hard to ensure it was administered justly and correctly. We hope this message is getting sent: the town of Westerly will enforce underage drinking laws, both local and state, in an effort to keep our young people, as well as the entire community, safe. For us, it's about Westerly working together. That's the bottom line," she said. This was not the Read family's first run-in with laws governing underage drinking.
Read's mother, Kim Read, was charged under the state's social host law in May 2008 with procuring alcohol for minors in connection with an underage drinking party at her home.
The case was never brought forward.