Party House of the Weekend

2 Bridge Street in the heart of "Historic Cushman Village"

If the police come calling near midnight don't get mouthy with them, especially if you have a live band serenading the surrounding neighborhood with music they probably hate.

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Amherst police received little to no "cooperation at the door" (as the Chief is fond of calling it) and as a result three college aged youth were arrested for violation of the town's Noise Bylaw, earning them a visit to APD headquarters at 111 Main Street and then a guided tour of Courtroom 1 in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday morning.

Bad Boys of Bridge Street appear before Judge John Payne

Party House of the Weekend

19 Phillips Street

I almost don't want to file this story under Blarney Blowout since Phillips Street is the most notorious party street in Amherst, with any given weekend having incidents like this -- usually more than one.

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In fact the overall number of arrests this past weekend was less than an average weekend with schools in session during 2013 or 2014 leading up to that year's riotous Blarney.

Which is of course a good thing.  A very good thing.

Matthew Crosby stands before Judge Poehler

In Eastern Hampshire District Court this morning Mr. Crosby took the typical plea deal offered by the Commonwealth, a "diversion" from criminal to civil with payment of the town's $300 noise bylaw fine.  Plus he has to stay out of trouble for the next four months, aka the rest of the semester.

His partner in crime, Jeremy McGarry, who made the mistake of messing with Sgt Ting, was not in court today but he is expected to be arraigned tomorrow.

Frat House Frolics

Alpha Tau Gamma, 118 Sunset Avenue, Amherst

It has been a while since a frat made my party house of the weekend dishonors.  Let's hope it's even longer the next time, especially with the March 7 Blarney Blowout fast approaching.

   Alpha Tau Gamma Busted

 Levi Lilly, 19, frat Pres

In Eastern Hampshire District Court yesterday all three UMass students took the deal offered by the Commonwealth.  Stay out of trouble for the next four months and the two frat representatives pay $300 each out of the two $300 tickets issued (Noise & Nuisance).  

 Tyler Wuerthner, age 19

Mr. Wuerthner, because he was charged with "underaged drinking" was charged $100 probation fee and will be required to take the UMass BASICS alcohol education program.

Shane Bradford, 20, frat Vice Pres

Party House of the Weekend

Christian Rivera stands before Judge O'Grady

No matter how much you like "Stand By Me," if a police officer tells you to turn it down, you should probably turn it down.

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Mr. Rivera, age 21, did not -- and as a result was arrested by APD for violation of Amherst noise  bylaw.

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday he took the standard "diversion" program, having the criminal matter diverted to a civil matter in exchange for paying the $300 noise ticket and promising to stay out of trouble in the near future.

Although, since he's a UMass student, Rivera will also have to answer to the UMass Dean of Students Office as all arrests and/or Noise & Nuisance tickets issued by APD automatically get referred to Enku Gelaye for review.

Had the violation occurred on campus UMPD probably would have issued Mr. Rivera one of the new tickets they are using to speed up the process of dealing with Student Code of Conduct violations.

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 UMass violation ticket

Only in the past few years did UMass e-x-t-e-n-d the Code of Conduct to include off campus activities such as noise and nuisance complaints handled by the understaffed Amherst Police Department.

Party House Of The Weekend

297 West Street, directly across from Crocker Farm Elementary School

These party house problems are getting fewer and farther between -- which is of course a good thing. 

Alexander Elkins stands before Judge O'Grady

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday Connor Bertram, 19, and Alexander Elkins, 20, both took the typical plea deal offered by the Commonwealth:  Criminal charges are "converted" to civil with one of the two $300 tickets thrown out plus four months probation. 

Conor Bertram standing before Judge O'Grady

Party House of the Weekend

47 Fearing Street

Last weekend was relatively tame for outright rowdy behavior -- no party house arrests or $300 tickets issued for noise/nuisance.  But police still had to break up a number of large gatherings and issue verbal warnings, which will show up in the Rental Registration data base.

Take 47 Fearing Street for instance:

Meanwhile, a couple hundred yards away APD arrested Kenneth Lamoine, age 19, for underage drinking and driving with an open container of alcohol in his car.  A DUI in the making so to speak.

Party House of the Weekend

241 Sunset Avenue

Yes, as some of you may know Sunset Avenue (at least the northern end of it) is contiguous with UMass Southwest area where all the freshmen are packed into one pretty dense cluster.

But it is still a neighborhood made up of single family homes, some of which actually house families.

Colin McGuire, age 20, stands before Judge Mulcahy

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday the two arrested house dwellers, Derek Durouchel and Colin McGuire (both 20) thought they were going to simply get an easy plea deal for the charges of "Unlawful noise, Nuisance House, Receiving Stolen Property over $250, and Procuring Liquor to person under age 21."  But Judge Mulcahy warned them that one of the charges was a felony with potential jail time.

 Derek Durouchel, age 20

So they opted to hire a lawyer and come back to Court next month.

 Page 2 continues, "stopped both Durouchel and McGuire were placed under arrest."

Party House of the Weekend

 340 Amity Street, Amherst

Amherst police busted a party house located on Amity Street, a busy road but still a residential neighborhood, near midnight on Friday and all five of them accepted the typical plea deal offered by the prosecution:

Pay the town bylaw ticket fee ($300) and stay out of trouble for the next four months and the charge of "unlawful noise" is dismissed.

 A gaggle of offenders

As the five of them crowded around the front podium Judge Payne asked if they all live together, to which they all responded in the affirmative. 

After hearing the details presented by the prosecution, after all five agreed to the "diversion" from criminal to civil complaint, one of the braver of the five asked Judge Payne if they could have a discount since they were all "full-time college students."

The Judge paused for a moment, then asked again (while they were under oath) if they all lived at the same address.  Again they responded "yes".  So he said, $100 each. 

Thus they got off pretty easy.  Of course the Building Commissioner may have something to say to their landlord about violating the town bylaw restricting a one family house to no more than four unrelated tenants.

Party House of the Weekend

 115 Belchertown Rd, Amherst

Been so long since Amherst police busted a party house for "Noise & Nuisance" (at $300 a pop) I barely remember how to write these.

Ah, blessed are the summers in a college town.  Unfortunately now over.

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 APD "statement of facts"

The 3 amigos stand before Judge John Payne Monday morning

Since this episode was their first brush with the legal system the prosecution stuck a typical deal called "diversion," where the criminal charges are diverted to civil charges, and each of the perps accepts responsibility for one-of-the-two $300 bylaw violation tickets.

$900 to the town coffers and, hopefully, a lesson learned.  

The Company You Keep

 APD on scene College Street Saturday 4:00 p.m.

While there were somewhat loud graduation parties all over Amherst on Saturday afternoon into the overnight (10 complaints) -- many of them with live entertainment -- Amherst police made no arrests and issued no $300 fines.

These parties were more like traditional family-and-friends ceremonial affairs rather than exclusively "college aged youth" gatherings we've seen and heard all semester, so apparently the presence of older adults tends to keep things from getting out of control.

Perhaps all party houses should be forced to have a grandparent move in after the second noise offense.

No AFD runs at all to UMass for ETOH (alcohol intoxication) students: 

   AFD runs Graduation Weekend

Party House of the Weekend

31 Shumway Street, owned by CIBA, LLC

Not only did they tie up APD, but AFD as well (as did a couple other locations)

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday all four agreed to pay the $300 town bylaw fine fee to settle the matter.

Party House of the Weekend

 46 McClellan Street, Amherst

A birthday party became nothing to celebrate as Amherst police broke up a large party (hey, it was a birthday bash!) at 46 McClellan Street in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Disgruntled "guests" were anything but cooperative, so police arrested the host Avery A Fuerst, age 22, for violating the town's noise bylaw and Noah I Carr, age 20, for underage drinking.

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In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday Mr. Carr paid $100 court costs and will be on probation for the next four months, while Ms. Fuerst had her case continued until next month to allow her to lawyer up. 

Meanwhile around the same time (early Sunday morning) Amherst police were called to 105 Meadow Street for a large party.  Those guests were far more cooperative, and no arrests or $300 tickets were issued.

105 Meadow Street, 12:45 AM Sunday morning

Thirsty Thursday Party House

 473 Pine Street, North Amherst

Apparently the B52 carpet bombed topography of Pine Street did not stop 400 or more "college aged youth" from descending on 473 Pine Street, located in the "historic village of Cushman," for a party that got out of hand.

So much so that two of the bad boy tenants, Brian T Viscariello and Harris B Stone, both age 20 and both UMass students, were arrested.

Meanwhile, in a nearby college town:   Storrs, CT Riot

Indiegogo fundraiser for Amherst Record Digital News

Party House of the Weekend

 227 East Pleasant Street, Amherst

For the second time this year Amherst Police responded to a noise complaint at 227 East Pleasant Street, only this time they handed out $300 tickets to three tenants for an expensive party total of $900.

Next time maybe they will answer the door a little quicker.  Or better yet, ensure there is no next time.