"Hingham homeowner faces host charges after party" by Lauren Dezenski | Globe Correspondent, May 27, 2013
Sixteen minors are facing underage drinking charges and a Hingham homeowner is facing charges of violating the state’s Social Host Law following a rowdy house party Saturday night, said Hingham Police Department spokesman Sergeant Steve Dearth.
The homeowner, William Hacking, 51, faces a criminal complaint at Hingham District Court. If found guilty of violating the Social Host Law, Hacking could be fined up to $2,000 and could face up to a year in prison.
Just before midnight Saturday, officers responded to a complaint of a loud house party on East Street. The first officer to arrive noted roughly seven cars in the road, loud noises coming from the yard, and people who appeared to be under 21 drinking alcohol, followed by people yelling “the police are here.”
When the officer stepped out of his cruiser, “he was immediately almost struck by a glass beer bottle,” Dearth said in a statement.
The bottle missed the officer and shattered at his feet on the pavement. The officer got back into his car and was requesting backup when a second bottle shattered on the pavement in front of his bumper.
Related: Unruly crowd pelts police with cans and bottles; 1 arrested
Additional officers from the Hingham and Cohasset departments arrived and officers saw several people running into the woods, leaving behind plastic cups, open beer cans, and shattered beer bottles, Dearth said.
Others ran to a barn, where they were found among open and unopened beer cans, a Ping-Pong table with spilled beer, plastic cups, and empty cans, according to police.
“Each of these youths had red and glassy eyes, slurred speech, and had the odor of an alcoholic beverage on the breath,” Dearth said.
The 16 minors, between 17 and 20 years old, and a Hull 21-year-old, also face charges of disturbing the peace. All are scheduled to be arraigned at Hingham District Court Tuesday.
After the minors were placed in the Weymouth police prisoner transport van Saturday, officers who returned to the barn found Hacking cleaning up the discarded cans and cups. He had been home at the time of the party, Dearth said.
When speaking with the officers, Hacking appeared to be under the influence of alcohol; he was unsteady on his feet, had slow and slurred speech, and smelled heavily of alcohol, police said.
Officers told him several times what had happened and Hacking “continued to ask ‘What was going on?’ ”
Hacking reportedly told police he asked the group when the party was going to end. He said the event was a birthday party for his daughter’s friend.
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"Youths arrested at Hingham party may avoid charges" by Jessica Bartlett | Globe correspondent, May 30, 2013
Sixteen young people arrested Saturday night for alleged underage drinking at a Hingham home could avoid charges if they complete a diversion program of counseling and community service, a Hingham police spokesman said.
Sergeant Steven Dearth said that 16 minors ranging from 17 to 20 years of age and one 21-year-old woman were arrested that night. All were facing charges of disturbing the peace after a birthday party at the Hingham residence; all but the 21-year-old also faced charges of underage drinking.
All 17 appeared before Judge Francis Marini in Hingham District Court Tuesday for possible arraignment. However, the judge delayed the arraignment, allowing the accused to participate in a diversion program, which would keep the criminal complaints off their records.
They are all scheduled to appear before a judge again on June 20 to report if and when they plan to participate in the diversion program, which is run by the Plymouth Country district attorney’s office. Anyone who has a criminal record will not be eligible for the program and will face arraignment at that time.
Dearth said a criminal complaint was filed with the court Tuesday to charge 51-year-old William Hacking with violating the state’s Social Host Law, which prohibits serving alcohol to minors; keeping a noisy and disorderly home; and disturbing the peace.
“We believe we have probable cause to charge him,” Dearth said.
A clerk magistrate will hold a probable cause hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to charge Hacking with a crime. A hearing date has not been set.
Timothy Shyne, Hacking’s attorney, said his client did not know alcohol was being served at the party. However, Shyne said the Social Host Law is so broad that he could be charged anyway.
“Typically if the police can show any type of probability, the case moves on,” Shyne said.
“If it’s a clerk magistrate hearing, sometimes clerks have to conform to political pressure. This case got a lot of attention. They may let the judge deal with it and may issue the complaint, and it would be arraigned in the normal court of business.”
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Related: Arbitrary Justice in Arlington
Must be who you are or who you know.
Also see:
"150 officers sent to break up bar fight
A large fight broke out early Friday morning at the Stadium Sports Bar and Grill in downtown Boston, prompting police to dispatch an emergency deployment team of about 150 officers, authorities said. The majority of the fight, which broke out around 1:20 a.m., occurred outside the bar at 148 State St., and police took around 45 minutes to break up the crowd and end the fight, Boston police spokeswoman Katherine Shea said. No arrests were made and no one required medical attention. The Stadium Sport Bar was issued a license-permit violation for the unruly patrons at the bar, Shea said. The bar’s managers were not immediately available for comment."
Ban booze!
