Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
24 young people charged from three parties
By Margie Wuebker
Twenty-four people face alcohol-related charges after Celina Police officers responded to reports of underage drinking and/or loud music at three weekend parties.
The first call came at 10:48 p.m. Saturday from an anonymous source regarding a large party on the rear deck at Atelier beauty salon, 224 S. Main St. Young people, who appeared to be under the age of 21, reportedly went inside and closed the door as officers arrived.
No one responded to repeated knocks on the door but officers looking through the front windows could see subjects attempting to hide, according to Celina Police Chief Dave Slusser.
The owner was out of town at the time, but her son reportedly told officers he would be at the business shortly. When he did not arrive, police contacted Mercer County Prosecutor Andrew Hinders and obtained a search warrant to enter the premises.
The son, 18-year-old Ross Klosterman, 834 Linden St., Celina, was found hiding inside and subsequently charged with underage drinking and furnishing a place for underage people to drink.
Other Celina residents charged with underage drinking were: Valerie R. Brackman, 18, 7020 Fleetfoot Road; Brad N. Smith, 18, 205 Magnolia St.; Thomas J. Buschur, 18, 1813 Meadowview Drive; Adam G. Hoying, 19, 217 W. Fourth St.; Drew D. Valentine, 18, 1512 Merri Lane; Logan E. Rolfes, 18, 2105 Eaglebrooke Parkway; Eric K. Loughridge, 19, 219 S. Brandon Ave.; Christopher Flora, 18, 1007 N. Buckeye St.; and Nathan Vorhees, 18, 705 Holly St.
A second party was reported at 11:17 p.m. Saturday in an upstairs apartment at 100 N. Ash St. Officers found a number of underage people inside.
The apartment tenants - 18-year-old Nathan Jenkins, 23-year-old Christopher M. Neely and 18-year-old Marah L. Stein - were charged with providing a place for underage people to drink. Jenkins also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Charged with underage drinking at that party were: Benny R. Ashley, 18, Wapakoneta; Kara L. Stanfill, 18, 6740 Wabash Road, Celina; Ian D. Phipps, 18, 7363 Auglaize-Mercer County Line Road, St. Marys; Keyton T. Eberle, 20, 1553 Irmscher Blvd., Celina; Dustin C. Schmidt, 19, 500 N. Walnut St., Apt. 3, Celina; James Samuel Knous III, 18, 114 Leona St., Celina; and Jordan M. Maller, 18, 315 W. Warren St., Celina.
Two juveniles - a pair of 16-year-old Celina girls - also were found to have been drinking at the Ash Street apartment. Slusser said the report has been forwarded to the prosecutor's office for review and filing of charges against the juveniles.
Two additional arrests were made after an officer responded to reports of loud music coming from 433 Touvelle St., where a large number of people had gathered. The officer reportedly recognized Cody Hodge, 20, 1115 Grand Ave., Celina, with an open can of beer and knew he was under age.
Hodge was charged with underage drinking while Douglas Fonner, 23, of the Touvelle Street address, was cited for furnishing a place for underage persons to drink.
"We have a zero tolerance when it comes to underage drinking," Slusser told The Daily Standard. "These young people obviously made the wrong choice and will face the consequences."
Additionally, the department also cracks down on those who provide a place for underage persons to drink.
