Sedona AZ (October 20, 2015) – Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies have seen an increase in the occurrence of “secret” underage alcohol parties occurring in unimproved wooded areas throughout Coconino County. These “Woods Parties,” as they are often referred to by the participants, can be very hazardous and, at times, life threatening to underage party goers.
Deputies have seen numerous underage youth intoxicated to the level they can no longer make rational decisions and are unable to protect themselves from predatory adults who frequent these events. Deputies have also seen a significant increase in the number of participants in possession of firearms.
CCSO Sheriff Bill Pribil would like to remind parents that it is imperative to know where your children are, what they are doing and who they are with. It is advisable for parents to talk to their children about underage parties and all of the associated dangers. Crimes associated with underage parties include illegal consumption of alcohol, illegal possession and use of controlled substances and drugs, serious assaults, sexual assaults, DUI, serious motor vehicle collisions, and weapons misconduct.
On October 4, 2015, CCSO dispatchers received an anonymous Crime Stop Call reporting an underage “Woods Party” in the area of School House Draw with a large number of attendees. The caller also advised of multiple physical fights involving intoxicated party-goers.
A Sheriff’s sergeant, assigned to the Flagstaff Patrol Division, coordinated a response consisting of himself and two deputies. As the deputies approached the intersection of Forest Service Roads 762 and 867, they observed a large bonfire with numerous vehicles parked around it. As the deputies approached the crowd, numerous people ran or staggered into a tree line southeast of the group’s location.
The CCSO sergeant went from vehicle to vehicle checking each one for occupants. He observed a maroon Chevrolet Suburban, its front passenger door wide open, with a male in the driver’s seat passed out and slumped over, head resting on the steering wheel. The sergeant attempted to wake the subject and advised him to get out of the vehicle, but received a death threat. The sergeant removed the subject from his Suburban.
While this was happening, a member of a group of 25-30 people who had gathered to the watch the interaction began to agitate the crowd with negative comments about the presence of the Sheriff’s Office. Even though the subject in the Suburban resisted, the sergeant removed him and a physical fight resulted. The CCSO sergeant forced the intoxicated subject to the ground and, as the struggle continued, the officer observed a semi automatic pistol stuffed in the subject’s waist band. He disarmed the subject and was eventually able to restrain him.
The sergeant yelled for anyone else armed with a firearm to separate themselves from the crowd and walk to the north of where they were grouped. Five other participants complied and were disarmed by other deputies on the scene. In total, six guns were collected from various individuals at the party.
The subject, who fought with the sergeant, was arrested for Threatening and Intimidating, Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and, later, the charge of Resisting Arrest was added by the County Attorney’s Office. The agitator in the crowd was arrested on a minor’s consumption of alcohol charge, and an arrest warrant not related to the Woods Party incident.
Deputies also identified several minors, under the age of 18, and provided courtesy rides back to parents and guardians residences in order to return them to their custody.
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Wow, glad the authorities are all over this. I can’t imagine anything like this happening 15-20 years ago or when I was a kid. We all spent our time at the Art Barn spinning ceramic bowls or dishes.
@ Dick Cranium – I totally agree. Thank God our CCSO heroes rousted someone sleeping it off in their vehicle. Next time that person (and all the impressionable ones around him who witnessed it) will have the sense to drive away plastered instead of sleeping it off. I’m glad our CCSO heroes are reaching out to youths and setting such a fine example that will make a lasting impression.
It’s a fine line what to do, if they hadn’t responded what then? I don’t think this was as much about drinking and driving as underage minors in the presence of drunks with guns. Been happy if a girl was raped and murdered and buried in woods with a gun shot to her brain? Been happy if the punks at the party turned on each other and had a shootout or hung a gay guy from a tree limb? Respect these cops for taking kids home to parents at fault for not knowing who and what was going on in their kids lives. Now they can’t deny in the future! And drinking/drugs are not like when we were kids! What idiot doesn’t know that in this day and age?
A LITTLE GUN HISTORY
· PLEASE DON’T THINK FOR A MOMENT, THAT THIS COULDN’T HAPPEN IN OUR COUNTRY ALSO.
· In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control:
From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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In 1911, Turkey established gun control:
· From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Germany established gun control in 1938:
· From 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
———————–
China established gun control in 1935: From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
———————–
Guatemala established gun control in 1964:
· From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Uganda established gun control in 1970:
· From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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Cambodia established gun control in 1956:
· From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
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56 million defenseless people were rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control.
You won’t see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.
· Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.
With guns, we are ‘citizens’; without them, we are ‘subjects’. During WW II, the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!
· Gun owners in the USA are the largest armed forces in the World.
· If you value your freedom, please spread this anti-gun control message to all of your friends. The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense.
· The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either.
· SWITZERLAND ISSUES A GUN TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD! SWITZERLAND’S GOVERNMENT ISSUES AND TRAINS EVERY ADULT IN THE USE OF A RIFLE. SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
· IT’S A NO BRAINER! DON’T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.