POLAND TOWNSHIP Teenage party leads to fight and arrests

Police called the fight a school feud and said more arrests may be coming.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Two teens have been charged and 23 others could be charged after a party Saturday got out of control, township police say.
Police said a 17-year-old Poland Seminary High School student invited about 18 Poland students and five Cardinal Mooney students to her Saginaw Drive house while her parents were out of town. After the 23 students arrived, someone invited an additional 15 Mooney students to join the group, police say.
Officer Frank DeMain, Poland schools resource officer, said a fight took place when the second group of 15 Mooney students arrived at the house. Others inside the house managed to make the 15 leave, but they soon returned, and a second fight took place.
DeMain said the 15 youths, upon returning, tried to break in through a second-story window, damaging the home. He said police are also investigating reports that someone pulled a small firearm during the melee.
Two arrests so far
Thus far, police have arrested the 17-year-old hostess on a charge of underage drinking. Frances A. Fuller, 18, of Delaware Drive was also arrested and charged with underage drinking, with additional charges pending. DeMain said charges may still be filed on up to 23 other people at the party.
"We don't know where we are going with this except that we have a lot more kids we are going to have to interview," he said.
According to DeMain, Saturday's fight stemmed from previous run-ins between the Poland students and the Mooney students at the party. He said school feuds are getting increasingly worse with on-the-field disagreements being carried off the sports field. Parties such as the one Saturday, he said, are venues for tension between groups to spill over.
Drinking and driving
DeMain said the parties are also a problem because teens are drinking there, then leaving and driving home. He said at any given party with 20 attendees, police will see 17 cars parked outside, meaning most of the kids were going to drive after leaving the party.
"We are taking full action against this problem and doing everything we can, and those who are caught will be prosecuted," he said. "We do need help from the parents also."
DeMain said parents of the Saginaw Drive teen were not in town and will not face charges. Police, however, are investigating how the teens got the alcohol for the party.