27 busted for underage drinking

PALMER — Two underage drinking parties yielded 27 tickets last week, according to a pair of Palmer Police Department reports.

One was a seven-ticket bust that normally wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy, but 20?

“That is extremely unusual,” Palmer PD Cmdr. Lance Ketterling said. “First of all, there’s often not that many kids at one party.”

Secondly, kids tend to beat a hasty retreat when the cops come a-calling. Or, as Ketterling put it: “To retain that many once we arrive is unusual.”

He said that aside from the number of youths cited, neither bust was particularly noteworthy.

“They were no trouble. The officers did what they needed to do and went about their business,” Ketterling said.

Ticketed on charges of minor consuming alcohol at a party Aug. 15 were Wasilla residents Stephen Tobin, 19; Tricia A. Summerfield, 18; Kay M. Peterson, 18; Brandon J. Trush, 18; and Justin M. Stendigh, 19; Palmer residents Christopher R. Fisher, 20, Kyl D. Briske, 19, James B. McCall III, 19; Stephanie L. Button, 19; Sherian L. Rubar, 18, of Eagle River; eight 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old.

At a party Aug 8, police wrote similar tickets to one 17-year-old, Matthew L. Freer, 19, of Wasilla, and to the following Palmer residents: Erin K. Simoneau, 20; Kaitlyn R. Kinchen, 19; Shaylaree L. Nielson, 19; Dalton M. Mills, 18; and Brandon Meyers, 20. Ketterling said this time of year is actually pretty common for teen drinking parties.

“Right before school starts they want to have some fun,” he said.