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Underage drinking incidents lead to charges for 13 in Park Ridge
Updated: October 7, 2012 6:06AM
PARK RIDGE — Thirteen teenagers were arrested last week as Park Ridge Police responded to multiple incidents of alleged underage drinking.
Deputy Police Chief Lou Jogmen said a 16-year-old Park Ridge girl was found Aug. 24 with an open bottle of vodka in her backpack on the grounds of Maine South High School, 1111 S. Dee Road, just three days after classes resumed for the new school year. The teenager was charged with possession of alcohol by a minor and disorderly conduct after she allegedly walked away from a responding police officer and resisted as he attempted to take her into custody.
Jogmen said the girl had been in the company of two 16-year-old boys, residents of Park Ridge and Harwood Heights, who were each charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor.
The following night police charged seven teenagers with underage drinking after they allegedly admitted to consuming alcohol when officers responded at 11:30 p.m. to a call of a fight in an alley on the 900 block of North Northwest Highway.
Jogmen said some of the teenagers told police they had been “play fighting” and there were no injuries reported. In the alley police recovered a bottle of vodka and bag containing suspected marijuana, Jogmen said.
Those charged included John Manzella, 18, of the 1900 block of Oakton Street, Park Ridge; a 15-year-old Park Ridge girl; two Niles boys, ages 16 and 17; a 17-year-old Chicago girl; and a 17-year-old girl from Elmwood Park; and a 17-year-old boy from Park Ridge.
That same night two Park Ridge girls, ages 14 and 15, were charged with underage drinking after police responded to a call of a juvenile who was possibly intoxicated, falling down and vomiting at the Hinkley Skate Park, 283 Busse Highway. Both girls were found sitting near a restroom and both exhibited signs of having consumed alcohol, Jogmen said.
On Aug. 21 paramedics were called to a home on the first block of South Home Avenue after a resident reported that a 13-year-old boy had fallen and hit his head at Centennial Park, 100 S. Western Ave. The boy was treated for his injuries and charged with underage drinking, police said.
All 13 of the teenagers charged are scheduled to appear at a Sept. 11 adjudication hearing at Park Ridge City Hall.~.
