ALBANY, New York: Police have arrested 6 suspects on Thursday charged with malicious mischief at former NFL player, Brian Holloway’s, vacation home along with hundreds of young partygoers while the authorities signalled more arrests in few days.
The arrests on Thursday came after former Patriots and Raiders offensive lineman Brian Holloway said he signed papers authorizing the Rensselaer County sheriff to bring charges in the Labour Day weekend party, which was attended by up to 400 teenagers, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Previous reports said that more than 300 teenagers threw a rowdy Labour Day party in the vacant upstate New York home of former New England Patriots lineman Brian Holloway, causing more than $20,000 in damages due to graffiti, broken windows and urine-soaked carpets.
Then, in the eternal wisdom of youth, some partygoers shared pictures and tales of their exploits on Twitter and Facebook, which Holloway later shared on a website he created.
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Holloway said that among those charged was a young man he had taken into his family for a time as a homeless teen, who’s accused of organizing and promoting the party. He said investigators have told him the number of people charged could end up in the hundreds as they work through the sheer volume of participants.
“Everyone that broke the law, I’m pressing charges against,” Holloway said. “The parents had a chance and students had a chance to come forward, and only four did.”
Holloway, who played offensive tackle for the Patriots and Raiders in the 1980s, gained national attention by reposting party pictures the teens had put on social media websites. He said he posted them on the website helpmesave300.com in an effort to get the teens to come forward, take responsibility for their actions and change their behaviour.
Instead, he said, some parents were angry about his website and there was even a threatened lawsuit.
“I tried to be as accommodating as I could, but they took their stand by not showing up,” Holloway said.
The partiers caused at least $20,000 in damage to his rural vacation home near the Massachusetts border in Stephentown, including broken windows and holes in the wall, he said.
Police said a ringleader of the party was 19-year-old Seth Hawk, the young man Holloway said he had taken into his family a few years ago. Hawk, of Grafton, faces felony charges of burglary and criminal mischief and misdemeanour charges of endangering the welfare of a child and unlawfully dealing with a child. He’s accused of advertising the party and providing alcohol.
Three of the other arrested people face felony charges including burglary and larceny, and two are charged with misdemeanours, including trespassing. They range in age from 17 to 21.
A phone number wasn’t available for Hawk, and authorities said they didn’t know the names of the arrested people’s lawyers.
Holloway said Hawk was a classmate of his son and had a troubled youth, but found stability living as part of his family when he was about 15. He said hearing about Hawk’s involvement “was a shocker.”
“We’re still pulling for him,” he said. “This may be the thing to get him on track.”
(Photo: Michael Hill, AP)
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