17 Teens Arrested At Underage Drinking Party In Ridgewood, N.J.
RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police in upscale Ridgewood, N.J., busted a massive house party this weekend, and 17 teenagers were hauled off in handcuffs.
As CBS 2's Steve Langford reported, the teens were all facing serious charges Sunday.
On Saturday night, Rock Road in Ridgewood was jammed with squad cars from two local law enforcement agencies, responding to reports of drunken teenagers learning the hard way about too much alcohol.
"There were a lot of cars with lights, flashing lights," one neighbor said.
The teens were at a party at one home on the block. Seventeen of them were cited with underage drinking, while another 14 juveniles were taken into protective custody and released to their parents.
Four youngsters were also taken to the nearby Valley Hospital.
It was not clear Sunday whether the parents who live at the home were present during the party.
A police source told CBS 2's Langford that law enforcement just happened to notice the apparently out of-control-party when an officer saw a teenager climbing or falling from the second floor of the house.
Jonathan Everett, who lives right across the street, came home to find a mother parked in his driveway who had just rushed over to pick up her teenager.
"We just asked her what was going on," Everett said, "and she mentioned it was an underage drinking party."
Everett said "needless to say, (the woman) did not look too happy."
Anita Casertano lives next door, and said she slept through the teens' drinking party.
"Our bedroom is right next to there and we didn't hear a thing," she said.
She added that the suspects are "kids, and kids do things."
There was no answer Sunday at the home where the party happened, but an open garage door revealed the apparent results of a day-after cleanup that neighbors said they couldn't help but notice.
"What looked like some garbage cans; what sounded like garbage cans full of cans and bottles," was how Everett described it.
As to the possibility that the parents who live at the house might face charges, police only said the case remained under investigation.
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