Sheriff’s Office busts up underage drinking soiree

Grady County sheriff’s deputies report breaking up a late-night party in Whigham where an estimated crowd of 50 people aged 14 to 23 had gathered, some drinking alcohol, last weekend.
Three young adults were arrested on misdemeanor charges, including the 18-year-old girl who lived in the house where the party took place on Providence Road.
Deputies were called to the scene to investigate a complaint of loud music shortly after midnight early Saturday.
Sgt. Jacob Bush reports that when he arrived at the house, he saw a man walking outside with a cup in one hand and a beer bottle in the other. The man said he was 20. When asked, twice, why he was holding a beer, the man only answered that he was putting the cup into his truck, Bush states. The deputy states that he turned on his blue lights and asked the man to tell everyone to get out of the house and gather at his patrol car.
Sgt. Bush states he began sorting the crowd into three groups: those over 21, those over 18 but younger than 21, and those under the age of 18. About half of the kids under 18 admitted to drinking alcohol, and more than half of the rest of the people said they had been drinking alcohol, according to Bush.
He told the teenagers under 18 to call their parents to come pick them up at the scene or at the Sheriff’s Office. Bush says he then gave each person a verbal warning about underage drinking, providing alcohol to minors and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Sgt. Bush gained permission from the 18-year-old resident of the home where the party was being held to search the house for additional people, and when he reportedly saw several people from the party hiding in the yard, he called for backup.
Cpl. Shawn Poitevint and Sgt. Jeff Riggins arrived and were attempting to clear the house of people and have them check in with Sgt. Bush when Riggins saw someone walk in the wrong direction. Riggins says he called for the person to stop, but instead they ran north on Providence Road. Both Riggins and Poitevint chased the subject into a neighboring property where they also saw another subject running away, but they eventually lost sight of both and returned to the house to assist Bush.
Hearing a noise from inside the house, Riggins entered and found a male standing in the kitchen. Riggins ordered him to walk outside, but the 18-year-old said he “was not going outside,” according to Riggins’ incident report. But, as Riggins approached the teen, he began walking towards the front door where Cpl. Poitevint was waiting.
Poitevint reports that he asked the subject, “who are you, who do you think you are, why do you think you don’t have to do what you’re instructed to do.” After patting him down for weapons, Poitevint asked the male again for his name, and the subject replied, “‘I’m Georgia State Patrol.’” The 18-year-old was handcuffed and taken to Grady Detention Center, where he was so unsteady on his feet that when he tried to stand he fell twice, according to the report. The male was charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor and impersonating a public officer or employee.
Still at the scene, Sgt. Riggins investigated a noise coming from an outdoor, metal shed, and found a male standing behind the house. Riggins told the male to walk to the front yard and give his information to Sgt. Bush. Riggins reports that at first the male just looked at him so Riggins repeated the order. Instead of following the instructions, the male walked inside the house through the back door and then allegedly began running toward the front door. Riggins called on his radio that he had a subject running, and a 16-year-old tackled the subject at the front door. Riggins reports that every time he attempted to handcuff the suspect, he allegedly pulled away, so Riggins spun his own body to cause the suspect to lose his balance. Once the suspect was on the ground, Riggins states he was able to put him in handcuffs. While walking the suspect outside, Riggins reports that the suspect tried to pull away. Using a specific hold, Riggins was able to get the cussing suspect into a patrol car.
Riggins reports that while at Grady Detention Center, the suspect’s cussing and yelling forced jail staff to spray him with pepper spray. He was charged with obstruction of an officer and consumption of alcohol by a minor.
The third arrest was that of the 18-year-old female hosting the party. She was charged with disorderly house.