Edition:
May 21, 2010
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Police investigate underage drinking at party Unfortunately, Canyon Lake lived up to its alleged reputation as “Party City” last Friday night, May 14, when a group of students, reportedly from Canyon Lake Middle School, gained access to a vacant home on Loch Lomond Dr. and held a get-together there. One young man and his friend, who say they were invited to a “going away” party at the address, arrived there but immediately left the premises when they saw the drinking going on. They alerted one of the boy’s mothers, who drove to the home, confirmed what her son and his friend told her and called the police. She estimates there was a couple of hundred dollars worth of alcohol at the home.
The son also told his mother that he’d seen two of the obviously inebriated party-goers walking down Canyon Lake Dr. South, perhaps attempting to get away from the police and go home. The mother drove slowly down that street until the boys pointed out two young people lying on a driveway near Canyon Lake Dr. South and Early Round. The boy and girl were vomiting, choking and convulsing, according to the mother, who called 911 then attempted, along with her son and his friend, to aid the very sick youngsters.
The police, fire truck and ambulance arrived a little after 11 p.m. and paramedics attempted to stabilize the two victims before taking them to a local hospital. The boy was held for observation for 24 hours and the girl for six before they were released to their parents, according to a parent.
In the meantime, police were searching the Loch Lomond neighborhood, even using a low-flying police helicopter to shine bright lights in the vicinity. A police report will be issued next week and a major investigation and intense follow up are underway, according to City Manager Lori Moss.
Lori also says that she has hired additional officers to be in the community during graduation week since that is often the time teens get together to “celebrate.” Parents and neighbors are urged to be vigilant and to report any problems by calling 911.
The concern about teens drinking in the private community was brought to the attention of readers of The Friday Flyer in the April 30 issue when it was reported that City Councilwoman Mary Craton had introduced a new Social Hosting Ordinance that was approved at an adjourned regular meeting of the City Council on April 13. The ordinance makes it a violation of the City’s Municipal Code for an adult host to provide alcohol to minors, although it does not prohibit a parent from providing alcohol to his/her own children in their own home.
Mary asked that the ordinance be introduced after talking to a parent from another city whose young teen visited friends in Canyon Lake on two separate occasions and was given access to alcohol by parents living here.
The problems associated with underage drinking are considerable, according to Lt. Dan Feltenberger, who said at the April Council meeting, “Alcohol use by youth contributes significantly to the possibility of adolescent crime, addiction, sexual assault, truancy, driving under the influence of alcohol, alcohol-related traffic collisions, public nuisance and the threat to public health, safety and general welfare of the City.”
In its decision to pass a social hosting ordinance, the City Council determined that, according to local, state and federal surveys, alcohol is overwhelmingly and consistently the most widely used drug at all adolescent age levels. Furthermore, the Council has been informed and believes the use of alcohol by youth remains a serious problem in Canyon Lake at private residences or at rented residential or commercial premises that are under the control of a person who knows or should know of the service to, possession by and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages by underage persons.
Any person violating Canyon Lake’s new ordinance will be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, would be punished by a fine of $1,000 and/or up to six months imprisonment.
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